Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Right-handed pitcher Dustin May (3-6, 4.27 ERA, 65 SO) took the mound for the Cardinals against right-hander Freddy Peralta (4-4, 4.04 ERA, 79 SO) for the Mets.

Peralta didn’t have his best stuff on Tuesday as the Cardinals got to him early. The Cardinals scored four in the third—two on a single by JJ Wetherholt, one on an RBI double by Jordan Walker, and another on a Lars Nootbaar recorded an RBI on a groundout.

The Cardinals added onto their lead in the fifth on a two-run home run by Alec Burleson with one on to make it a 6-0 St. Louis lead.

Still making it through six innings, Peralta gave up six hits (one home run), six earned runs, two walks, and struck out five. He also hit two batters. His six runs allowed were a season high, and his season ERA sits at 4.04 as Peralta tries to find consistency that’s eluded him all season.

Joey Gerber came in to replace Peralta on the mound for the Mets in the seventh.

Burleson stayed hot in the seventh, hitting an RBI double that scored a run and made it a 7-0 Cardinals advantage. They never looked back on that lead as they went on to shut out the Mets 7-0.

The Mets’ only hits on the night came from Carson Benge, Juan Soto, two from Ewing, and one from Francisco Alvarez, who was activated off the injured list earlier on Tuesday. Ewing’s double was the only extra base of the night. They were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and left five on base. They were struck out as a whole eight times.

This game marked the seventh time the Mets were shut out this season, an unsettling theme.

Player of the Game

No Player of the Game tonight after this performance!.

On Deck

The Mets and Cardinals continue their series on Wednesday at 7:10 PM. It will be right-handed pitcher Andre Pallante (6-4, 3.96 ERA, 51 SO) on the mound for the Cardinals against the Mets’ righty Christian Scott (2-0, 2.50 ERA, 41 SO).

The post Peralta Falters, Mets Shut Out 7-0 by Cards appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Do you find yourself struggling to stay awake for late night sporting events? Rejoice! The Mets return to the East Coast tonight after their final West Coast road trip for the season. If you live in the eastern time zone, first pitch for the rest of the season happens at a reasonable time!

The Mets are coming off of a series win in San Diego where Carson Benge had a historic day going 5-for-5 in the leadoff spot. The Mets are still in last place in the NL East, but they have won seven of their last 10 and are only five games out of the last Wild Card spot. They’ll play a Cardinals team tonight who have won four games in a row and are two games above the last wild card spot. Now is the time for the Mets to collapse the playoff race!

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Bo Bichette – SS
3. Juan Soto – LF
4. Jared Young – 1B
5. A.J Ewing – CF
6. Marcus Semien – 2B
7. Brett Baty – 3B
8. MJ Melendez – DH
9. Francisco Alvarez – C

Starting Pitcher: Freddy Peralta

Freddy Peralta has made 13 starts this season totaling 72 innings with a 3.63 ERA, 4.01 FIP, 1.319 WHIP and a 112 ERA+. He ended May allowing eight runs over 11 2/3 innings from 16 hits and three walks. He’s coming off of a strong start in Seattle where he held the Mariners to one run over six innings while striking out six. He held the Cardinals to one run over 5 1/3 innings earlier this season in a game the Mets eventually lost 2-1 in extra-innings.

The Cardinals have the following career stats against Peralta:

• Alec Burleson 4-21, 2 2B, 2 BB, 2 K
• Nolan Gorman 3-12, 2B, 4 BB, 2 K
• Ivan Herrera 4-8, BB, 2 K
• Lars Nootbaar 4-19, 3 BB, 8 K
• Pedro Pagés 2=6, 2 HR, 3 K
• Jordan Walker 2-9, 3 K
• JJ Wetherholt 1-3, 2 K
• Masyn Winn 3-17, BB, 3 K

Opposing Lineup

1. JJ Wetherholt – 2B
2. Iván Herrera – DH
3. Alec Burleson – 1B
4. Jordan Walker – RF
5. Lars Nootbaar – LF
6. Masyn Winn – SS
7. Jimmy Crooks – C
8. Nolan Gorman – 3B
9. Nathan Church – CF

Dustin May has made 12 starts this season, totaling 66 2/3 innings with a 4.59 ERA, 3.36 FIP, 1.290 WHIP and an 88 ERA+. May went on a tear in mid-April, putting up a 1.93 ERA, 3.02 FIP over 23 1/3 innings (four starts). Since then, he has a 4.00 ERA, 2.97 FIP over 36 innings (six starts).

He missed the Mets in early April and the Mets have the following career stats against him:

• Brett Baty 2-5, K
• Marcus Semien 0-3
• Juan Soto 2-11, 2 2B, 4 BB, 2 K
• Luis Torrens 0-2
• Eric Wagaman 1-2, BB
• Jared Young 0-3, 2 K

Game Notes

Francisco Alvarez is back! Just four weeks after meniscus surgery, Alvarez is starting at catcher and batting ninth.

Kodai Senga, unfortunately, was shut down from his rehab assignment with an ulnar nerve issue. His time with the Mets may be coming to a close.

Jorge Polanco will not be shut down due to Achilles bursitis and will DH on rehab within the next couple of days.

The Cardinals activated outfielder Nathan Church from the injured list and optioned Victor Scott II to the minors.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Carson Benge. Benge had a career day on Sunday, going 5-for-5 with a home run, a triple and three runs scored. He’s now hitting .265/.325/.408 on the season with a 107 OPS+. Since April 23, Benge has played in 41 games, slashing .318/.371/.497. He’s become a fantastic table setter for the Mets and has the ability to set the tone for the night!
2. A.J. Ewing. Ewing was not on the Mets yet when the Mets went to St. Louis earlier this season. Over 25 games, Ewing already has a 0.8 bWAR, which is just 0.1 behind Carson Benge. He’s slashing .259/.340/.329 with a 92 OPS+. His 11 walks already have him tied for 7th on the team. His seven steals rank second on the Mets. Ewing currently has a five-game hitting streak. The only knock on his game recently has been strikeouts. He has struck out at least once in seven games in a row, totaling 10 K’s.
3. JJ Wetherholt. The Mets aren’t the only team being led by exciting rookies. JJ Wetherholt has been a revelation. He’s slashing .246/.358/.395 with a 116 OPS+ and a 2.7 bWAR. He has stolen seven bases this season without being caught at all and has drawn 31 walks. Baseball Savant has him in the 97th percentile for baserunning value and 99th percentile for fielding run value. This is going to be a series with rookies driving the narrative!

Let’s go Mets!

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Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Alvarez has a history of freak injuries and quick recoveries. At the end of the 2022 season he got ankle cartilage surgery which can take over six months to return to form, but arrived at spring training ready to go. In April 2024, he tore a ligament in his thumb with an expected recovery timeline of eight weeks. He returned in just over five. When he broke his hamate in 2025 he was expected to miss the first six to eight weeks of the season and missed roughly four.

Since Alvarez was optioned to Triple-A to fix his swing in 2025, he has been the fourth-best offensive catcher in baseball slashing .260/.340/.481/.821. Even with a slow start this year slashing .241/.317/.393/.710, Alvarez’s 104 WRC+ is 32% better than Luis Torrens‘ 72 WRC+ and his .710 OPS is 112 points higher than Torrens’ .598.

Defensively, Alvarez has been a mixed bag in his first season without catching coach Glenn Sherlock. He still has shown plus pop times, but is not as strong at blocking or throwing out runners as Torrens. The one area he has been reported to shine significantly over Torrens is in his game calling. Back to his time as a prospect even veterans like Max Scherzer raved about Alvarez’s ability to work with pitchers.

Whether catching every day or splitting time between catcher and designated hitter, Alvarez lengthens the Mets lineup and should benefit this pitching staff.

Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Kodai Senga Shut Down

Kodai Senga will not make his scheduled rehab start on Tuesday because of ulnar nerve irritation. This is another in a long line of injuries, but this one could be more serious as elbow injuries can lead to tommy john or internal brace surgery.

Jeffrey Springs is a recent example of pitcher who had this same injury and got elbow surgery soon after. Gerrit Cole and Garrett Whitlock had the same issue but did not get surgery until around a year later. Ben Joyce and Janson Junk had the same issue but have not had to undergo elbow surgery.

When healthy Kodai Senga has performed well, throwing 305 innings to a 3.39 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. But he has only pitched in 57 total games across three plus seasons, missing roughly 45% of potential games. Since joining the Mets he has had a shoulder injury, a calf injury, a hamstring injury, a back injury and now an elbow injury.

In his two Triple-A rehab starts his velocity was significantly down, he struggled to find the zone, he failed to generate extension, his spin rate was worse, and he struggled to get his normal movement on his pitches. All of this makes sense and lines up with an elbow injury.

If Senga does end up getting elbow surgery it is possible he may not make a start for the Mets again. The Mets do have a 2028 $15 million conditional club option that triggers if Senga either has Tommy John surgery, or an elbow surgery that keeps him on the injured list for 130 days (there are 110 days left in the 2026 season).

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After a solid showing against the San Diego Padres, the New York Mets host the St. Louis Cardinals for a three-game set. It is the beginning of a stretch where the Mets consistently play National League opponents, setting up an opportunity for New York to vault back into the playoff picture. Quite frankly, it is a slate of games that could define New York’s 2026 season.

There is little time to waste, so without further ado, let us dive into it!

Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Tuesday: Freddy Peralta (4-4, 3.63 ERA) vs. Dustin May (3–6, 4.59 ERA) 

• Freddy Peralta had more good than bad in his last start against the Mariners, going six innings while only giving up one earned run. Even while allowing six hits, the right-hander struck out six batters and walked two batters. Peralta’s arsenal, ranging from the fastball to the changeup and the curveball, was working great in Seattle. He struck out at least one batter with every pitch, while he recorded multiple strikeouts with the fastball and slider. As the Mets begin a slate against multiple NL foes, they will need Peralta at his best. He needs to build on his good start in Seattle in the first game of this series. 
• New York, in their first game against the Cardinals, draws what could be a tough matchup in the form of Dustin May. May can still carve through lineups with ease, as evidenced by his totaling nine strikeouts in his last start. And while he has a 4.59 ERA on the season, he has not given up many hard-hit balls (49%) and has an expected ERA of 3.76. How the Mets deal with May’s six-pitch mix will be very interesting to watch over the course of this game. 

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Wednesday: Christian Scott (2-0, 2.50 ERA) vs. Andre Pallante (6-4, 3.96 ERA)

• Christian Scott is on the verge of taking another leap as a pitcher and has been the best starter on the team the last month and a half. Facing the San Diego Padres in his latest start, Scott went 5.2 innings of shutout baseball, striking out three batters in the process. Location and control have bit Scott, as he walked two batters once again, and holds a walk rate of 11.5%. If he can slightly lower the walk rate, Scott’s impressive fastball, sweeper, and cutter will play at an even higher level. I am excited to see Scott’s continued progress over the course of the season. 
• Finding much more success in 2026, Andre Pallante looks to be another tough task for New York’s lineup. Sporting a 3.96 ERA, Pallante’s best pitch is his slider. The right-handed pitcher has struck out 26 batters with the pitch and has only allowed 15 total hits on 86 plate attempts. Add in Pallante’s 51.5% ground ball rate, and the Cardinals have a pitcher who can strike batters out and not give up fly balls.

Thursday: TBD vs. Hunter Dobbins (1-0, 2.77 ERA)

• As of the writing of this article, the Mets have not announced a starting pitcher for Thursday’s series finale. It wouldn’t be surprising to see David Peterson get some bulk work here.
• To wrap up this series, the Mets will face Hunter Dobbins, formerly of the Boston Red Sox. Only making his fourth start for the Cardinals in this series, Dobbins is coming off an appearance where he struck out six batters over five shutout innings. His sinker has been his best pitch, but Dobbins has relied on six pitches through 13 innings in 2026. A pitcher without too many tendencies to key in on, I am fascinated to see how New York attacks Dobbins on Thursday. 

Carson Benge by Berto Carlo

The Main Storyline

Ahead of this series, my main storyline is all about the Mets’ chase of the NL Wild Card.

Despite the awful level New York has played at for the majority of the season, they are somehow just five games removed from a playoff spot. Expanding things a bit further, they are six and a half games out of the second NL Wild Card spot.

As fate would have it, the Mets’ positive momentum, sparked by Carson Benge and friends, coincides with the team playing many of the teams they are trying to chase down. From today’s date until the end of the month, New York plays the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and Toronto Blue Jays.

Outside of the trip to Canada, the Mets have 19 games against teams in the National League. They have nine divisional games and play four of the teams ahead of them in the Wild Card standings.

It is a stretch that could vault New York back into the playoff discussion, especially if they go on a run for the majority of June. On the other hand, it is a slate of games that could bury the Mets for good in 2026.

To keep it short, this group of games will likely help to dictate the ultimate fate of the Mets, one way or the other. For that reason alone, it is my main headline of the week.

Player to Watch 

In the latest early week series for the Mets, I am concentrating on Juan Soto.

As the calendar moves closer to the middle of June, New York will be tasked with many teams that they are chasing in the NL Wild Card standings. Without Francisco Lindor and other contributors in the lineup, Soto needs to find his spark once again to help keep things rolling for the Mets to start off the week.

Whether it is drawing walks or lacing baseballs all over the field, Soto needs to be the catalyst in the middle of the order for New York. The level at which he performs those tasks will dictate how this series goes for New York.

Prediction

In their series against the Cardinals, I have the Mets winning two of three games.

The post Series Preview: Mets Host the Blossoming Cardinals appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

At the same time, there are plenty of moves the team makes this day and age that are attributed to the president of baseball operations or general manager that simply shouldn’t. All of the draft picks are a prime example. (Billy Eppler didn’t sign off on every pick under his watch.)

We wanted to add some clarity to the conversation. Here are some of the main parts of the job of the person running a baseball team, whether it be the president of baseball operations or general manager.

David Stearns
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Player Evaluation Processes

The head of a baseball organization sets the framework for how the club views players. It is important to have consistency throughout the organization so the crosschecker in the Dominican Republic scouting international free agents and the pro scout analyzing players for the first pick in the amateur draft are on the same page.

This includes how different traits are weighed. The Mets under Stearns have shown clear archetypes in players they have acquired and looked to develop. For instance, their drafts have been full of athletic up the middle defenders and high slot pitchers with good spin profiles. Part of this also revolves around what the organization feels they are well equipped to develop. When you have continual success with specific player archetypes, it makes sense to continue to acquire those player types.

Every team has a model they utilize to evaluate players and project future performance. How much are you weighing contact rate vs exit velocities? How much do you factor a player’s results vs their metrics? How do you judge where a player is vs where they can be after specific changes? Stearns with the Brewers and the Mets has typically been known for having a balance of focusing between what you see on the field and what you see under the hood.

Scouting and the Draft

The president of baseball operations is not personally picking each draft pick. They are not personally reviewing film of every prospect in the draft or every international free agent. They may not even be in the room for every pick made. They very likely are heavily involved in the early round picks. But Kris Gross, Vice President of Amateur & International Scouting, largely runs the scouting and draft process for the Mets. This is true on other teams, too.

What David Stearns has done is transform how the Mets approach scouting. The Mets have largely moved away from focusing heavily on in person scouting to scouting through data and film. In a recent Baseball America survey, the Mets were listed among the teams that invested the least in in person scouting. This is not to say that the Mets never view a player in person, we have even seen David Stearns personally travel with scouts to view the big potential signings. But the focus has shifted to a more modern approach. This also means scouts are not necessarily going to view players in person as a fact-finding mission, but going with their data and research already completed to see how it translates on the field.

Under Stearns the Mets have worked to build cohesion between the development and scouting departments. It makes absolute sense – why draft a player who the team is not confident they can develop? You can see this in the players they have drafted compared to the breakouts throughout the minor league systems.

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Building the Farm System

Building the farm system is the culmination of drafts, international signings, and player development. It also involves recognizing areas that may be overlooked by other teams. For instance, the Mets signed reliever Jonathan Pintaro out of the Pioneer League and recognized the swing changes Jared Young made in the Korean Baseball Organization.

In the offseason the Mets saw the following prospects make top 100 prospect lists: Nolan McLean, Carson Benge, Jonah Tong, A.J. Ewing, Brandon Sproat, Jett Williams, Ryan Clifford, Jacob Reimer, Jack Wenninger, and Will Watson. Sproat and Williams were traded. McLean, Benge, Tong and Ewing are currently in the majors. They have also pulled from deeper in their farm with Nick Morabito, Zach Thornton and Jonathan Pintaro spending time in the majors so far.

Even with two top prospects traded and four potentially losing prospect status this year, the Mets still look to have multiple top 100 prospects. Both Jack Wenninger and Jacob Reimer are in strong top 100 contention, while Elian Peña and Eli Serrano have begun to make noise. Ryan Clifford has finally started to show some signs of life in May and could raise his stock back up. Outside of the top 100 contenders, the Mets minor league system is full of players who could make a future impact in the majors at some point including Jonathan Santucci, Chris Suero, Ryan Lambert, Dylan Ross and Randy Guzman.

Even with so many top prospects graduating, the Mets have a very strong farm system with clear development direction.

Analytics and Performance Science

Organizations need structure when it comes to the data they acquire. It does not make a huge difference to measure data if you do not know how to analyze it. Griffin Canning in 2025 spoke about how the Mets’ and Angel’s pitching labs structurally were similar in terms of the machines they had, but whereas the Angels provided all the raw data to the players for them to analyze, the Mets had staff on site that could tell the pitchers what each data point meant.

This not only requires having staff that have a strong working and foundational knowledge of this information, but that there are staff that know how to communicate it across the organization and to the players. At the major league level, Steve Gelbs of SNY recently mentioned on the broadcast that the players feel the information they have received has been communicated well to them despite their offensive struggles. The have been focused on making hard contact with the Mets placing fifth in barrel rate, seventh in hard hit rate and ninth in exit velocity, while placing in the middle of the pack in strikeout rate. Where they have not done well, also mentioned by Steve Gelbs on the broadcast, is working through the mental side of slumping—an issue they seemed to have in the second half of 2025 as well.

In the minor leagues, David Stearns has prioritized infrastructure and standardized development plans. The Mets have expanded the pitching lab and have been designing a hitting lab to go alongside it. The Mets have invested in understanding the biomechanical side of evaluation – how does changing a player’s swing/load or a pitcher’s arm angle change kinetic chain? How does that change in the transfer of energy impact the ball? We have seen multiple players drafted come to the Mets and adjust their loads at the plate significantly or change their arm slot, leading to improved results.

D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Organizing Communication Flow

This has two parts to it, the internal portion and the external portion.

Externally the head of the baseball organization oversees how information is communicated to the media. They work to ensure stuff they do not want leaked stays internal, and what they do want leaked is done so through the filter in which the organization wants the information communicated. They are also in charge of ensuring there is consistent messaging with the media. There is a reason when Carlos Mendoza and David Stearns speak with the media back-to-back their messaging is in line.

Internally the head of the organization sets up the structure of the organization and communication flow. Who is running departments and how are the different departments communicating with each other. How is feedback being shared throughout the various levels of the organization to ensure everyone is on the same page? Is there cohesion?

Until recently the Mets have been largely viewed as a fractured organization without unity. For much of the past few decades the organization was cobbled together across various different philosophies with vacancies scattered throughout. Under former general manager Billy Eppler and owner Steve Cohen, many long-term members of the organization left for various reasons. Over the last two and a half years the structure of the organization has largely been rebuilt and for the first time in a long time there is a clear unifying vision and structure.

Managing the Staff of the Organization

The Mets under Steve Cohen have grown into a massive organization. They have well over 500 staff members per their staff directory across various departments including scouting, player development, field staff, baseball operations, etc. The person running the team is the architect of this entire infrastructure. While they do not directly hire and manage every single individual, they are directly in charge of the individuals at the top and through them impact the full trickle-down affect.

The Mets do not have a general manager at the moment. That role is split between three assistant general managers, Eduardo Brizuela, Jonathan Strangio, and Ben Zauzmer. It is not uncommon to leave some high-profile positions like that empty for a few years so you can promote one of your AGMs into that position when a team looks to poach them. They handle many of the day-to-day operational aspects of the organization, allowing David Stearns to focus on the higher-level decisions.

Departments like player development, headed by senior vice president of baseball development Andy Green, are massive both in terms of staff and responsibilities. Hundreds of players go through a team’s minor league system annually from prospects, to rehab assignments, to veterans on minor league deals. Each level has their own individuals overseeing development.

Similarly, the coaching staff is managed by the managers at each level: Carlos Mendoza in the majors, Dick Scott in Triple-A, Michael Collins in Double-A, Eduardo Nunez in High-A, Luis Rivera in Single-A, Lino Diaz in the Florida Complex League, and JC Rodriguez and Felix Fermin in the Dominican Summer League. Alongside Steve Cohen and the AGMs, David Stearns is responsible for getting the right people into those positions. David Stearns has also always been known for being very hands off with his managers, allowing them to do their jobs without micromanaging.

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Major League Player Acquisition

Saving the most recognizable part for last. Deciding who to sign and who not to sign to the majors. Who to trade for, and who to give up. Jorge Polanco has spent most of the season hurt, but most team’s models likely would have grouped Ryan O’Hearn, Willson Contreras, and Jorge Polanco together in the offseason. Contreras would have cost multiple top prospects at least to beat the Red Sox massive offer, while Ryan O’Hearn is currently injured and reportedly wanted to get significant outfield time.

While Marcus Semien has struggled, he is much easier to cut in a year than Brandon Nimmo who has struggled heavily at the plate for over a month now with a .656 OPS over that span and has had trouble staying on the field due to multiple chronic medical issues that are unlikely to get better as he ages. Moving him also allowed the Mets call up Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing and play them every day. Both short and long term it is likely better for the organization this move was made even when it is sad to see a fan favorite leave.

Meanwhile Pete Alonso has taken a massive step backwards this year both in terms of results and under the hood. His contact rates have plummeted, and he is not hitting the ball as hard as he did in the past. Edwin Diaz began the year with decreased velocity and what the manager described as discomfort in the knee he has surgically repaired and has missed most of the season with elbow surgery to remove bone chips. Jeff McNeil has struggled defensively after his thoracic outlet surgery, and he has been a below average hitter despite playing half of his games in one of the most hitter friendly ballparks.

Part of the job is knowing when it is time to move on from players even when it is fan favorites.

On the replacements, it has been a mixed bag at first. Did anyone see Bo Bichette severely underperforming his metrics to be one of the worst hitters in baseball? Marcus Semien has struggled even more than expected yet the manager continues to play him every day. Jorge Polanco and Luis Robert Jr.are hurt. With Brett Baty and Mark Vientos you expected some of this could be managed but they have largely underperformed, though Baty has looked much better throughout May.

On the positive side, Freddy Peralta looks exactly as expected. Tobias Myers looks incredible even if the team’s usage of him continues to be perplexing. Devin Williams has had two horrible blow ups, but for the most part has looked strong giving up four runs across eighteen games. Luke Weaver has looked strong. Brooks Raley continues to be a good contract. Before he got hurt Clay Holmes looked to be one of the Mets best ever signings. MJ Melendez has struggled recently as he has gotten over exposed but has performed well as a depth piece. Many of the depth pieces like Austin Warren, Chris Devenski, Brandon Waddell, Jared Young, Carl Edwards Jr, Joey Gerber, Jose Castillo, Ben Gamel, etc. performed well while here.

Going back to past offseasons you have signings that made sense recognizing the free agent landscape but haven’t worked out for various reasons like Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, and A.J. Minter. Meanwhile, Juan Soto, Clay Holmes, Jose Iglesias, Luis Severino, the first Manaea contract, Griffin Canning, and Pete Alonso’s 2025 deal were all great contracts. Harrison Bader and JD Martinez were fine one-year deals.

The trades have been a mixed bag as well. Luis Torrens, Ryne Stanek, Phil Maton, Jesse Winker, Tyler Rogers on the positive side where they gave up very little of value to get good performances. Cedric Mullins, Ryan Helsley, and Gregory Soto ago in the bad column, but also they did not cost much of value either. Marcus Semien has been awful, but you also were not getting anything of value to free yourself of the constraints of Nimmo’s contract. Even there we probably won’t truly be able to evaluate for a few more years. Luis Robert Jr. has been hurt and probably does not deserve to be judged before the season’s end, but the main piece sent over, Luisangel Acuña looks like he may need to be cut soon and may not have made the Mets opening day roster.

Conclusion

If you are judging David Stearns only on major league acquisitions or team record it is easy to argue that he has failed in that aspect of the job. If you take a step back, look at the landscape of players available and the process it is also easy to defend many of these moves. I think both paths are absolutely valid when discussing these players and acquisitions.

I also would not consider the major league player acquisition to be the most important part of the job. It is definitely the most public facing and easiest to comprehend.
But building the organizational infrastructure is far and beyond the most important part of a general manager or president of baseball operations. It is the part of the job that has the longest-term impact to lead to success.

We have seen under Steve Cohen that just throwing money at free agents doesn’t build success on its own. We have also been lucky that these have mostly been short term deals compared to organizations like the Angels and Giants who have seen their teams bogged down by lengthy contracts where players have been made playing time promises so they cannot be easily cut even across many years of struggle.

The Mets organization has cohesion for the first time in a long time. David Stearns inherited a mess of incompatible philosophies, with a lack of infrastructure and direction, and many vacancies. This was never going to be fixed in just two years, but the Mets have made massive strides. The continual churn of front offices over the years is what led to this mess, and ideally Steve Cohen will recognize where the organization as a whole is, where it was, and where it is going.

The post What Does a President of Baseball Operations Do? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Continue reading for the latest stats and updates across the Mets’ minor leagues.

Zach Thornton
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Triple-A Syracuse

The Syracuse Mets split their six-game series with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. The Mets looked like the better team despite the split, outscoring the RailRiders 33-23 in the series. The Mets are now 33-30 and in fifth place in the International League East division.

Matt Rudick led the team with eight hits in the series, doing so in 18 at-bats. Rudick homered, walked six times and stole two bases. He also drove in six runs and scored six runs of his own. Rudick owns a .775 OPS in 16 games with Syracuse.

Christian Arroyo also had a solid week, going 4-for-16 with two doubles, a home run and three walks. Arroyo tied Rudick for the team lead with six RBIs on the way to improving his season OPS to .797.

Francisco Alvarez played in four rehab games and went 3-for-13 with two doubles and a walk. He also looked solid behind the plate, throwing out an attempted base stealer. The Mets are hoping they can get Alvarez back on the big league squad as soon as possible, and this past week was an encouraging step forward.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Kodai Senga allowed three runs in five innings in his latest rehab outing. He allowed a total of 10 baserunners, a big concern, while striking out six. Senga has a 5.19 ERA in two rehab outings with Syracuse.

Zach Thornton looked really good in two appearances (one start) for the Mets, allowing two runs in nine innings. Thornton allowed six hits and six walks while striking out nine. He now owns a 3.91 ERA in five games (four starts) with Syracuse.

Jack Weisenburger provided a stellar bulk outing out of the bullpen, tossing 5 1/3 scoreless innings. He allowed three hits and a walk while striking out four. Weisenburger has mostly struggled in six games with Syracuse as he now owns a 5.40 ERA.

Jonathan Santucci. Photo by Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Double-A Binghamton

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies dominated the Reading Fightin Phils by winning five of six games in their series. Binghamton dropped the first game before rattling off five straight wins. Still, the Rumble Ponies are 23-34 and in last place in the Eastern League Northeast division.

Vincent Perozo led the way for Binghamton with nine hits, including three doubles and two home runs. Perozo drove in five runs and raised his OPS with Binghamton to .833.

Nick Lorusso also powered the offense, going 7-for-21 with a double, a home run and two walks. He also scored five runs, the second-highest total on the team for the series. Lorusso now has a .712 OPS.

JT Schwartz also had a breakout week, going 5-for-18 with a double and a home run. He led the team with seven RBIs and also drew two walks. Schwartz now owns a .697 OPS.

Jonathan Santucci dominated his start, allowing just one run in 6 2/3 innings. Santucci allowed three hits and two walks with five strikeouts, lowering his ERA to 3.93 in 11 starts.

Bryce Conley also shoved, allowing two runs in seven innings. Conley allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out five. He has a 4.73 ERA in seven games (six starts) with Binghamton.

Max Green made two starts and put together two solid performances. Green totaled 6 2/3 innings with two runs allowed. He also allowed four hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Green has made five appearances for Binghamton and owns a 1.26 ERA.

High-A Brooklyn

The Brooklyn Cyclones also won five of six games in dominant fashion, outperforming the Jersey Shore BlueClaws. Brooklyn won four straight games to conclude the series and outscored Jersey Shore 34-18 in the series. The Cyclones are now 22-34 and tied for last place in the South Atlantic League North division.

Corey Collins demonstrated his power in this series, going 4-for-17 with a double and two home runs. He also led the team with eight RBIs, four more than any other player. Collins has been heating up lately and despite a .187 batting average, he owns a .767 OPS.

Mitch Voit is also heating up as he went 6-for-21 with a double and a home run. He also recorded two walks, no strikeouts and four stolen bases. Voit has his OPS up to .723.

Colin Houck went 5-for-19 in the series, recording a double and a home run with two walks. Houck has struggled again this year, however, as he owns just a .584 OPS.

Frank Camarillo pitched six shutout innings in his start, allowing just five hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Camarillo now owns a 3.57 ERA in three starts with Brooklyn.

Daviel Hurtado also looked great, allowing just a run in 5 1/3 innings. He allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out five. Hurtado has a 0.69 ERA through his first three High-A starts of the season.

Making his High-A debut, Jose Chirinos allowed one run in five innings. He allowed three hits and three walks while striking out four. Chirinos now has a 2.30 ERA in 10 games, nine of which were in Low-A.

Cam Tilly

Low-A St. Lucie

The St. Lucie Mets struggled against the Clearwater Threshers, losing five of six games in their series. St. Lucie lost the first four games before finally picking up a win and then losing the series finale. The Mets are now 25-32 and in third place in the Florida State League East division.

Elian Peña led the struggling offense at the plate, despite having an unremarkable week himself. He went 5-for-20 with two doubles, five walks and three stolen bases. He now owns a .796 OPS on the season.

Yohairo Cuevas also did some damage, going 4-for-18 with four doubles. Cuevas walked twice and stole a base, and his OPS through 16 games sits at .864.

St. Lucie’s struggles were not due to the pitching staff, as they received a trio of scoreless starts. Cam Tilly allowed no runs in five innings, giving up four hits while striking out five. Tilly owns a 5.66 ERA in 10 games (nine starts).

Emilio Obispo also gave up no earned runs over four innings, though three unearned runs did score. Obispo allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out five. He has a 1.93 ERA through seven games with St. Lucie.

Joel Lara also tossed four scoreless innings, allowing just a hit and three walks while striking out four. Lara owns a 6.75 ERA in 10 games (six starts).

FCL Mets

The FCL Mets went 3-2 this past week to improve to 12-12 on the year. They are currently in second place in the Florida Complex League East division.

Roybert Herrera had a standout week at the plate, going 5-for-9 with two doubles, a home run and three walks. Herrera has just 16 at-bats early in the season with a 1.359 OPS.

On the mound, Yoralbert Cadiz looked solid with one run allowed in 4 1/3 innings. He allowed a hit and three walks while striking out six. Cadiz has a 2.61 ERA in eight appearances.

DSL Mets

The DSL Mets Blue went 2-3 this past week, putting them at 3-3 on the year. The DSL Mets Orange went 3-2 and are now 4-2.

Jonnhan Sanchez had an excellent week at the plate for DSL Mets Blue, going 6-for-15 with a double, a home run and six RBIs. He also walked once and stole a base. Sanchez owns a 1.111 OPS through five games. On the mound for DSL Mets Blue, Sebastian Gomez tossed 3 1/3 hitless innings with one walk allowed and three strikeouts. This was Gomez’s first outing of the season.

Cleiner Ramirez shone at the plate for DSL Mets Orange, going 6-for-19 with a double, two home runs, two walks and two stolen bases. He drove in three runs and scored seven. Ramirez owns a 1.073 OPS through six games. On the mound for DSL Mets Orange, Randy Guzman tossed four scoreless innings with three hits allowed, one walk allowed and two strikeouts. This was Guzman’s first outing of the season.

Organizational Leaders

Batting

• AVG – A.J. Ewing (BNG/SYR) – .339
• OPS – A.J. Ewing (BNG/SYR) – .961
• HR – Ryan Clifford (SYR) – 14
• SB – Sam Robertson (STL) – 24

Pitching (min. 10 innings)

• ERA – Channing Austin (BRK) – 1.17
• SO – Jonathan Santucci (BNG) – 63
• WHIP – Daviel Hurtado (STL/BRK) – 0.773

Players of the Week

Offense – Vincent Perozo, C/1B/LF Binghamton

Vincent Perozo has over 1,000 minor league at-bats in his career. He’s mostly struggled, but he’s found his groove lately. Perozo’s OPS in 2026 is almost .100 points higher than his career OPS and this last series was his best yet. He likely doesn’t have much upside as a prospect, but to see him succeed this season is a welcome development.

Pitching – Frank Camarillo, P Brooklyn

Frank Camarillo is one of the Mets’ under-the-radar pitching prospects, as he was drafted in the 13th round in 2025 and doesn’t yet have eye-popping numbers. The 22-year-old showed what he’s capable of, however, in his latest start. He was the only Mets minor league pitcher this week to have a scoreless outing of at least six innings.

Upcoming Schedule – June 9-14

• Triple-A Syracuse: @ Buffalo
• Double-A Binghamton: @ Somerset
• High-A Brooklyn: vs. Frederick
• Low-A St. Lucie: @ Palm Beach

The post Minors Weekly Report: Binghamton, Brooklyn Break Out with Series Wins appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Freddy Peralta is seeking a long-term contract. While he had previously reported that Peralta was seeking a $218 million contract similar to Max Fried‘s, Peralta’s agent stated that “there have been no demands and any expectations will be determined after the season”. This seems to say that Peralta is unlikely to negotiate a contract extension before the end of the season and will test free agency.

The Mets had a well deserved off day on Monday. They are 3-3 in June and since the start of May are 19-15. They begin a homestand against the Cardinals and Braves before they head back on the road. First pitch against St. Louis Tuesday is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Latest Mets News

Francisco Alvarez has played in four rehab games and has three hits and one run batted in. Per Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, Alvarez could rejoin the major league ball club on the upcoming homestand.

The Mets have no more west coast road trips for the rest of the season. When talking with the New York Post, David Peterson was asked about having all the west coast trips bunched together at the start of the season and said, “It’s brutal. I think they need to take a look at how they are doing the schedules and fix it. We’re in June and we haven’t seen Atlanta or Philly yet and usually we would have seen them by now.”

Latest MLB News

Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Trey Mancini has been called up to join the Angels major league team. Mancini has not played a game in the majors since July 31, 2023. Mancini has slashed .271/.377/.464/.841 in Triple-A this year. His first at bat he drove in Jo Adell with a 100.9 miles per hour single.

Per Francys Romero of Beisbol FR, the Blue Jays have DFA’d Yariel Rodriguez. Rodriguez pitched to a 7.71 ERA and 2.04 WHIP on the season. He struggled to generate swing and miss and was susceptible to the long ball. He does not have enough service time to elect free agency and is in the middle of a five year $32 million contract with two seasons and a player option remaining. If a team were to claim him they would take on his entire salary. If he is unclaimed he can be sent to Triple-A. This exactly the same as when he was DFA’d back in December.

The Rays have selected outfielder Austin Slater to their major league roster. Slater hit .250 with the Mets across nine games with one run batted in and three runs scored.

The Baltimore Orioles placed starting pitcher Chris Bassitt on the 15-day injured list retroactive to June 5 and recalled right-handed pitcher Trey Gibson.

Per Jeff Fletcher of SoCal News Group, Taijuan Walker was released from his minor league contract with the Angels. Walker had an opt out he planned to trigger. Across three games for their Triple-A team Walker posted a 2.45 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. With the Salt Lake Bees, Walker relied much more heavily on his four-seam fastball, throwing it almost as much in 11 innings as he did in 22 2/3 innings with the Phillies.

Latest on MMO

Marcus Semien has been heating up. Read Michael Simon’s recap here.

Christian De Block breaks down on how Carson Benge is coming into his own here.

On This Date in Mets History

1973: Mets retire Gil Hodges‘ number 14. Gil was an original Met who hit .252/.331/.472/.803 in his first season with the Mets in 1962. He returned to the club in 1968 as the manager, and would go on to bring the first World Series championship to Queens in 1969.

2016: The Mets selected Pete Alonso in the second round of the Major League Baseball draft after taking both Justin Dunn and Anthony Kay in the first round.

2024: The Mets came back in the ninth inning to tie up the London Series against the Phillies thanks to an incredible game-ending double play by at the time new Mets catcher Luis Torrens. This was one of the moments that signal a turn around for the Mets 0-5 to OMG season.

On This Date in 1986 Mets

The Mets fell to the Phillies 3-2 with each of Rick Anderson, Jesse Orosco, and Doug Sisk giving up a run. Lenny Dykstra had a great game going 4-for-4 with a double and a stolen base. Darryl Strawberry also had a strong game going 3-for-4, driving in one of the Mets’ two runs.

The post Morning Briefing: Peralta, Agent Have Not Set Parameters of Long-Term Contract appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

ABC

I never thought the Knicks would (potentially) win a title like this. I thought it would go more like Roger Maris‘ breaking of Babe Ruth‘s single-season home run record.

Maris dealt with hair loss from the stress, death threats and a commissioner who held a news conference to push for the record to be labeled differently because the season was eight games longer than when Ruth played. He broke it in the fourth inning of the last Yankee game of the regular season.

I would have expected a Knicks title run to include multiple seven-game series, with enough twists and drama to make my hair fall out. And a few villains. Three sweeps? Insanity. (Jeremy Lin, by the way, will be attending Game 3).

The Knicks have won 13 playoff games in a row, and if they win Monday to take a 3-0 series lead, the drama left will feel more like when Mark McGwire (and Sammy Sosa) broke Maris’ record. Not if, but when.

Photo Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Knicks Lineup

PG Jalen Brunson

SG Josh Hart

SF Mikal Bridges

PF OG Anunoby

C Karl-Anthony Towns

Brunson has shot the ball poorly overall (19-for-56 from the field, including 4-for-17 from 3-point range), but has come up clutch in big moments. The Spurs’ physical defense has been relentless, often picking him up full court. Towns had a pair of double-doubles in San Antonio and could win Finals MVP if we want to get ahead of ourselves.

Spurs Lineup

PG De’Aaron Fox

SG Stephon Castle

SF Devin Vassell

PF Julian Champagnie

C Victor Wembanyama

Wemby shot the ball a lot better in Game 2 (11-for-21), but the turnover with nine seconds to go in a tie game led to Brunson sinking the winning free throw. And he missed a shot at the buzzer that would have sent the series back to New York tied at 1-1. Fox rebounded from a poor Game 1 to score 20 on 8-for-12 shooting and dish out five assists in Game 2. He still does not look as quick as he did prior to dealing with an ankle injury.

Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Game Notes

The Spurs are the third team to drop the first two games of the NBA Finals at home. The 1995 Magic were swept by the Rockets. The 1993 Suns lost to the Bulls in six. Five teams have come back from 0-2 in the finals, but those teams all lost two on the road to start the series. The last to come back from 0-2 was the 2021 Bucks.

The Knicks won the first two games at Boston in the second round of the playoffs last year and then lost Game 3 at home. They won the series in six.

Check out our MMO Roundtable picks made before the series started. Patrick Glynn is looking the best so far with his Knicks in 5 call. Mike Mayer had Spurs in 6. Can still happen, but oh dear!

Three Things to Watch For

1. The Spurs’ poise. The Garden will be ready to explode from the start, and the Spurs are led by a 22-year-old. However, I think Wemby and Co. will meet the moment. There has been speculation dating back to at least the 1990s that teams will come to MSG, be overwhelmed by the atmosphere and fold. And yet Michael Jordan, Reggie Miller, Trae Young and Tyrese Haliburton did just fine. And so did Voshon Lenard, Austin Croshere, Sam Cassell and Aaron Nesmith.

2. The whistle. The Spurs roughed up Brunson in Texas, and maybe my bias is showing, but I smelled a lot of home cooking from the refs in San Antonio. How will the game be called?

3. The joy. I love seeing Walt Frazier and Patrick Ewing react at the playoff games. John Starks and Stephon Marbury look like they want to check in. If the Knicks go up 3-0, we might see happy tears.

Go NY Go!

The post NBA Finals Game Chat: Knicks vs. Spurs, 8:30 PM appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

There were a lot of positives on display as the Mets took two out of three from the Padres. And, in winning the series in San Diego, New York finished their final West Coast road trip with a 3-3 record.

The Mets have also won seven of their last 10 games. Furthermore, they are 19-15 since May 1. That’s obviously a big improvement and a sign that this team is now trending in the right direction.

Of course, it wasn’t all perfect over the weekend. There were mistakes, another quiet day by the offense, and a not-so-great injury update on Jorge Polanco. All in all, the Mets did what they had to do to take care of business.

On that note, let’s unpack all the good and the bad from the Padres series in another edition of 3 Up, 3 Down …

Jun 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) celebrates after hitting a one run home run during the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images

3 UP

FUTURE HOPE

We got a glimpse of both the short and long-term future for the Mets this weekend. Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing played huge roles in the series win. As such, they offered tantalizing hope that maybe this season could be salvaged after all. And, if not, then the long-term future at least looks incredibly bright with those two leading the charge. Benge was the headline act, going 5-for-5 on Sunday, becoming the first rookie since Pete Alonso in 2019 to record five hits in a single game. Benge finished Sunday with a triple, a home run, two RBIs, three runs scored, and ten total bases. It was a statement performance by the rookie, who continues to emerge as a real All-Star contender.

As for Ewing, the outfielder had a hit in all three games. He also walked twice in the second game of the series, including a masterclass of an at-bat against Padres phenom Mason Miller in the ninth inning. Ewing also made another stellar defensive play in the series. Overall, both the immediate outlook and the bigger picture look bright for the Mets thanks to their two dynamic rookies.

GUTTING IT OUT

Nolan McLean has had a rough time of it as of late, but he showed signs of getting the train back on the tracks in San Diego. The righty walked three, but allowed just one run over six innings during Saturday’s loss. It was the first time McLean had pitched into the sixth inning since May 14. Granted, it wasn’t the prettiest of outings – McLean threw 101 pitches – but he strapped on his big boy pants to work through the traffic and limit the damage. That’s a good sign. The hope will be now that McLean can return to his dominant self on the mound.

FINDING A GROOVE

Both Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette continue to trend upwards. Semien stayed hot in San Diego, recording four hits in the final two games of the series. That included homers on back-to-back days. Semien also drove in both of the Mets’ runs on Saturday night. However, at this point, it is fair to wonder if the veteran is just going to be a streaky player. As for Bichette, his offensive ceiling is a lot higher, and he showed what he’s capable of against the Padres. He recorded an RBI triple on Friday night, before finishing with two hits on Sunday. After recording five hits total in the series, Bichette is hitting .375/.385/.542/.926 over his last six games. Now he needs to put it all together on a consistent basis.

Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

BASERUNNING GAFFE 

It didn’t get talked about because the Mets won, but Juan Soto had a moment to forget on Friday night. During the third inning, with two outs and a runner on third, Soto hit a grounder and seemed to give up on the play immediately. He casually strolled out of the box before breaking into a run when it was already too late. The lack of hustle cost the Mets a run, while it didn’t ultimately matter, it was still an incredibly bad look on Soto’s part. And it isn’t the first time it has happened, either.

GROWING PROBLEM

How do you solve a problem like Mark Vientos? Yikes. There doesn’t appear to be an easy answer. The infielder will show brief glimpses of his potential, only to then go ice-cold for long periods. He is a net negative way too often. Just look at the series in San Diego. Vientos went 0-for-4 on Saturday, including striking out on three pitches to end the game. His at-bat against Mason Miller was just lifeless. He has now struck out in six of his last 10 plate appearances. Maybe it is time to concede that the 2024 season was the exception rather than the rule.

CLUNKER 

Austin Warren has been a revelation for the Mets so far in 2026. Sadly, that wasn’t the case on Saturday night. Warren gave up the go-ahead two-run shot that sealed the loss. If that wasn’t enough, he misplayed a routine chopper just before allowing the fatal shot. In what was a one-run ballgame, Warren’s bad night proved costly. It cost the Mets a chance to sweep, which could come back to haunt them, given the hole they’ve dug for themselves.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Mets Finish Road Trip Strong In San Diego appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Two-plus months into the 2026 season, neither veteran is really blowing the socks off their new fan bases. For those keeping score, Semien is slashing .226/.277/.362 with eight homers, 25 RBIs and a 0.0 fWAR as the Mets’ everyday second baseman. Meanwhile, Nimmo, who got off to a blazing start, is hitting .249/.330/.398 with seven homers, 22 RBIs and a 1.0 fWAR while patrolling right field in Texas.

Overall, advantage Nimmo.

But Semien has stepped up at the plate lately, a key part of the Mets’ recent mini-surge to the periphery of the Wild Card race. After blasting solo homers in each of the last two games in San Diego, the second baseman has hit four homers, six RBIs and scored seven runs over the last nine games. In that span, during which the Mets won six of nine, he tallied multiple hits in four games. His season wRC+ jumped from 66 to 82.

Marcus Semien does it again! 🦺

It’s his second straight day with a homer and his third on the road trip! pic.twitter.com/iOe12VkN6T

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) June 7, 2026

Since May 29, Semien owns a .278/.350/.639 line with a 150wRC+, a far cry from where he was at the beginning of the season. While he went only 5-for-24 on the road trip, his key hits helped the Mets win.

While his overall stats are subpar, Semien continues to be one of the Mets’ most clutch hitters. His go-ahead homer in the seventh inning of Sunday’s win was another indication of that. Semien has excelled with runners in scoring position this year, to the tune of an .806 OPS, 18 hits and 14 RBIs over 52 at-bats. As a whole, the Mets have a putrid .682 OPS in those situations, fifth-worst in the league.

Met fans will continue to compare Semien and Nimmo for as long as the two keep playing in New York and Texas. However, if Semien continues his recent stretch of play, he will be more than just the glove that many saw him as when the Mets acquired him.

The post Marcus Semien Stepping Up for Mets appeared first on Metsmerized Online.