The Mets announced to reporters, including Tim Healey of Newsday, a series of roster moves. One of them is the previously reported selection of prospect Brett Baty, along with lefty Sam Clay being recalled to the active roster. The club also placed infielder Eduardo Escobar on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique and designated right-hander R.J. Alvarez for assignment.
Escobar, 33, has been playing hurt for most of the past week, leaving Friday’s game with the team referring to his ailment as “side tightness” at that time. Though he’s played in a couple of games since, it seems that the issue hasn’t abated and will now send him to the injured list. The infield depth was further banged up by Luis Guillorme suffering a groin strain and landing on the IL on Monday. With Escobar now following Guillorme onto the shelf, it seems the path has been cleared for Baty to get some regular work with the big league club.
The Mets and Escobar agreed to a two-year, $20MM deal in the offseason, though the infielder has hit just .216/.269/.384 for a wRC+ of 89. Outside of a miserable showing in the shortened 2020 season, that’s hit worst output in terms of wRC+ since 2016. He’s also striking out at a career-worst rate and walking less than he has in recent seasons. What role he has when he returns from the IL could depend on how well Baty fares in his first taste of MLB action.
Alvarez, 31, pitched in the majors in 2014 and 2015 but then didn’t appear in the big leagues again until last night. He was selected to the roster yesterday and then thrust into action when starter Taijuan Walker left after just two innings due to back spasms. Alvarez lasted 2 1/3 innings, surrendering four hits, three walks and three earned runs. He now loses his roster spot after a stint of nearly 24 hours and will head to the waiver wire in the coming days since the trade deadline has come and gone. Should he clear waivers, he would be eligible to reject an outright assignment by virtue of having been previously outrighted in his career. In 34 2/3 Triple-A frames this year, he has a 3.38 ERA, 22.3% strikeout rate, 13.4% walk rate and 44% ground ball rate.
As for Walker, he underwent an MRI and received “pretty good news, all things considered,” in the words of manager Buck Showalter, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. There was apparently no structural damage found by the MRI, though Walker may miss his next start to rest up a little. Since Carlos Carrasco was placed on the IL yesterday with an oblique strain, the club’s rotation with be doubly shorthanded until Walker is ready to take the mound again. The Mets have Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom and Chris Bassitt lined up to pitch tonight through Friday, though it will get tricky after that. They are scheduled to play a doubleheader against the Phillies on Saturday and don’t have an off-day until next Wednesday, August 24.
Down the road, one hurler who could potentially rejoin the staff is lefty Joey Lucchesi. He’s been out of action since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year but will begin a rehab assignment on Sunday, Showalter tells DiComo. After such a long layoff, Lucchesi will need some time to ramp back up and won’t be able to help the Mets with their current arms shortage. However, rehab assignments for pitchers are a maximum of 30 days, meaning he should be an option for helping the team by mid-September.
I laugh at Braves fans that still have hopes for the division.
the regular season and post season are different. Nobody remembers division winners they all remember the World Series winners.
No matter what happens tonight and tomorrow but the Phillies and Braves have exposed that the Mets don’t have a strong line up. Think the post season will really expose the Mets
“the Phillies and Braves have exposed that the Mets don’t have a strong line up.”
The Mets are literally 4th in the league in runs per game, right behind the Braves and three spots ahead of the Phillies. You are wrong.
The Phillies haven’t exposed anything from the Mets other than the fact that the Mets have their number. The Phillies have a winning record against the Dodgers, Cardinals, Padres, Mariners, Brewers and are tied with the Braves. But the Mets have absolutely destroyed the Phillies this year. Really, the Phillies are the big difference between the Mets and Braves because one team has owned the Phils.
The Phillies changed significantly with new players in Edmundo Sosa, Noah Syndergaard, Brandon Walsh and the emergence of Darrick Hall to go with more reliance on Matt Vierling and Bryson Stott. The Phillies are a more balanced team than they were prior.
Yes, but injuries to Schwarber. Harper, Marsh and Knebel really hurt. Suddenly they’re desperate for OF, and the one solid CF option in the minors suffered a huge injury as well.
Playoff series are as much about pitching as they are about hitting, if not more so. What team can match the Mets’ top two starting pitchers and their closer?
The Mets are 18-10 against those teams. What are you talking about?
Yea the Mets lineup isn’t strong, maybe it should be more one dimensional and rack up K’s at the same clip as ATL and PHI. Neither of those teams have winning records against good teams because good pitching shuts their lineups down. The Mets do have a winning record against good teams and they have beat up the best pitching in the league all year. Their lineup will play just fine in a playoff series.
This is an irrelevant topic and you know it. In a 162 game season, even teams over .500 go on a slump. It also matters when you play them. The Mets have played very well all season. Even Keith and Gary just said how everything has been going the Mets way until now. Love to hear it since that what I said prior to these games. Every team will go through a slump. The Mets have yet to hit one all year. Not saying they will go on a long one, but they are due.
The core of your statement is true, but the Phillies have a winning record against every NL playoff team except the Mets. The idea that they only beat bad teams is false. I agree with the idea behind the depth of versatility about the Mets lineup though. The only winning team the Phillies really struggled with all year? The Mets.
I’m a Mets fan and even I know the Braves have a deeper lineup than Mets and it’s not even close
The Braves have a drastically better hitter at third and catcher this year. The Mets have better hitters everywhere else.
I can’t agree with that statement. Mets are really good though.
Thanks for the laugh saying Lindor is better than Swanson.
Top to bottom the Braves have a better lineup, even by position comparison other than LF, in which both teams are not great. Add the fact that Albies will be back and Grissom hopefully talking over LF (or whatever the Braves decide to do this season), Braves are better.
That’s funny. Swanson is not even close to lindor.
True. Swanson is on the field and Lindor is in the dugout.
According to BB-Ref, Lindor has 4.7 WAR. Swanson also has 4.7 WAR.
Swanson is fifth in the League in strike outs. He could strike out 200 times this year.
So?
That’s with Lindor playing with a broken hand for a month.
If that’s what you want.
There is a huge difference between a fractured hand vs. a fractured small portion of a finger that clearly has no effect on a swing.
An out is an out. Swanson has a higher BA and OBP than Lindor, so it really doesn’t matter.
Any kind of hand issue has an affect on a swing.
Excuses?
Oh, so you think Lindor played through the pain and discomfort? Of course. Almost as believable as Odorizzi being a good trade by the Braves.
Seriously why did the Braves trade a very good bullpen arm for him?
Good question. Odorizzi isn’t impressing.
Because AA thought he will pull another miracle like he did last season. The Braves are lucky their rookies (Strider, Harris, and Grissom) are carrying the load because his deadline deals were terrible. Good news is this may be his last chance. The Braves should use him in long relief and be done with it. Enough!
Iglesias is no joke.
I was referring to Grossman and Odorizzi. Should have been more clear. Honestly, was frustrated with Odor, Olson swinging at ball 4 (Freeman would never), and Rosario swinging at a pitch higher than Big Show’s 7 foot + height.
Braves fans were frustrated with Will Smith, now we’re frustrated with Odorizzi. I’d rather be frustrated with a reliever than a rotation member.
Let’s also not forget, in April the Braves pretty much lost every game started by their #5 guy. This was before Strider took the rotation spot. Goes to show, how terrible their depth is. Thankfully, Muller and Elder pitched well but I can’t take their starts seriously since they pitched against the slumping Marlins lineup.
The Braves were going through the motions in April. Hard to make an assessment on what happened in April.
The easy answer is WS hangover, but it might not be the right answer.
BUT and this is a HUGE, ENORMOUS BUT, Bigger than Kim K overrated but, Soroka will be back (hopefully).
I’m a believer in ‘you can’t win a division in April, but you can lose it’. The Braves are paying for acquiring a starter, but again, they are fortunate Strider elevated his game. VERY!
for not* acquiring a starter
not since the as break
I don’t know why AA didn’t just resign Smyly. Odorizzi seems like a hot mess. I wasn’t impressed at all when I found out he was acquired. Probably would have been better just promoting AAA guys than letting him serve up home runs by the bunches.
I just figure MF has to be a teenager or early 20’s at best.
@TheREALMetsfan, you just lost two pitchers. You also have one ace just off the IL and the other couldn’t pitch effectively in the playoffs.
To be fair, Max was mis-used by Roberts in the PS.
Dude, stop. Braves are a great team and this is an exciting division race.
Also, don’t jinx it! Haven’t we, as Mets fans, seen enough? I won’t be confident in the division win until the season is over, and even then I’ll probably check the standings the next day to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.
The Braves don’t scare me at all.
Why would the Braves scare you? They don’t even know you.
You shouldn’t be scared of the Braves, You should be used to getting BEAT by them!!
Then why do they have a losing record to the Mets this year?
Cohen era will be different than wilpons era.
<>…. We’ve seen that things are changing, yes, but even if we spend on excellence, we can’t buy a new system overnight. Rebuild our farm: in progress… can’t trade the farm while rebuilding. Our SP depth was thin and now it’s being tested. Braves are formidable and WS champions. We are moving up, but have our work cut out for us.
Haha you’re a riot
I could see the Braves taking first place this week if (big if) they win the series because the Mets go to Philly and then they got the Yankees who are ready to come out of a slump. But really after that, the Mets season is significantly easier than the Braves. So although the Mets may give up the lead briefly in the coming week, I see them taking it right back.
Mets also have a series against the Dodgers at the end of the month. But their September schedule is very easy.
The Braves play the Astros next. Rather play the Phillies then the stros. The yankees are playing very poorly right now.
What’s so funny about it?
Why it’s impossible for the Braves to win the division 3 1/2 games is not a big lead
You’re awfully confident for a Met’s fan my man you do realize that there’s a very good chance that their top two pitchers don’t make it to the post season and if they do will Scherzer be able to make it through the entire post season without getting tired? Will deGrom’s arm hold up the rest of the way? If I were a Met’s fan I’d be concerned looking at that stacked Braves lineup only being up a few games. There’s a bunch of season left and the Mets are gonna Met they always do. I’d be prepared for it if I were you.
I laugh when Braves fans still have hopes for the division lol.
Braves fans laugh at you for being obsessed about Braves fans.
jeez. training staff has to fix some stuff. a lot groin and oblique problems lately.
Mets have the better starters, Braves have the better lineup. Braves also have home field advantage in H2H games with the Mets.
With Baty coming up lineup might not even be better.
Then again, Baty might tank.
Yea, let’s not count our chickens before they get a few plate appearances
1-1, HR, 2 RBI
Good start.
I hope they can get him the ball.
The Mets have a very easy schedule in September.
Hahah now the Mets have 0 3b too bad they traded Davis
They literally just called up one of the best 3B prospects in baseball. Come on.
Good luck. I’m not coming on.
Are you okay?
Your inability to acknowledge that the #2 3B prospect in MLB does in fact now play 3B for the Mets may be an indication of a serious cognitive condition.
I am fine raisins, don’t worry about me, its these other glue huffers that you should freight. Look all i am saying is i didnt know or forgot that Baty was called up and i didnt know he was the 39th ranked prospect coming into this season. I didnt know and i forgot i was either thinking around 45 or thinking good, but not top 100 like Herrera is for the Red Birds. (Like top 2 or 3 guys in their system but aren’t in baseball America’s or mlb.com’s top 100) and raisins you buddy with the cognitive condition bull crap… i just wink at it 😉
And lastly, losing Luis Guillmore losing Escobar.. which.. justing winking here too.. relax not that.. leaving them with 1 thirdbaseman the 22 year old hot shot rookie outta texas university (go horns!).. i just laugh at the Mets. This will be remember as a lost year for them, a year that could have resulted in a NL pennant and even World Series championship will be a year spoiled by what they DIDNT do at the deadline. enjoy your Tyler naquin, he’s like a poor man’s Brandon nimmo! Mets are losers, their fans are losers, and New Yorkers are losers. Goodnight!
I hope you feel better after that.
It sounds like you need someone to talk to though.
Raisins…. It will raisins season soon… 😉
It absolutely will raisins season soon. You’re my main man, Charlie. My main man.
You are as stupid as they come bro. JD Davis? Regret trading JD Davis. You have no clue who Baty is. You don’t follow or understand the sport. Just watch soccer man
Okay buddy just relax
The future is now for New York. Blonde Brett Baty. Good luck this postseason (he might end up being one of their better hitters)
Bryannnn you u likin’ goldy locks #yyy
How u liking baty raisins
Hey dummy guts, how you liking goldy locks
Davis wouldn’t be a solution at third, he’s a disaster there.
Cosmo.. CAN IT!
Great, another troll who thinks they’re clever
But it will raisins season soon. Doesn’t get any more clever than that.
It will be raisins season soon. It was a simple typo.
Got it. Much more clever now that you cleared that up.
Thanks?
Eduardo Escobar SUCKS.
30 games over 500, 55 games left. So even if the Mets go 25 and 30 they still make the playoffs. All this is just talk. But winning 12 NL East titles and coming away with 1 WS on a team with 3 HOFs and 2 others that could be HOFers, and that racist CHOP the fans do and the P.A. announcers doesn’t stop the fans, well their fans should hide in shame. Stick your chop and your braveLESS team
14 consecutive NL East titles.
Is it safe to assume you’ll be just watching their 14 NL East titles this October?
Nope, it’s not safe. I’m hoping they go all the way again.
And 1 WS, Marlins finished 20 games behind 1 year and beat the braveless in the playoffs and won a WS. Why would I watch a racist team lose in the playoffs.
You’re kind of making Mets fans look bad here, so there’s that.
Post-season is a crapshoot. The Braves weren’t the best team last year, but they won it all. They made it to the WS five times during their run, which is pretty good.
How am I doing that Raisiness. I’m not a fan of a team who’s 1 time closer Rocker ran his non PC mouth about a city. Fans going to Met games @ Citi don’t get a Tomahawk flashlight to degrade a race of people. No NO Raisiness, those are braveless fans
Just stop it, you’re just giving fuel to the trolls who think all Met fans are boorish jerks
The Georgia tribe of Cherokees don’t have a problem with it. You should go online and read about what the Braves are doing in conjunction with the Native Americans in Georgia. Lots of good stuff going on.
Braves fans didn’t like Rocker either:
And won only one World Series during that stretch.
Metsfan, you keep saying that. We all know they only won once, but you have no chance to win if you aren’t there. At least they were there.
Complaining about the chop is lame
Mutsfan4ever
Oh look, it’s woke wacist Metsfan4ever talking garbage on MLBTR about how the chop is ‘racist’, so by definition, Heredia, Acuna, Ozuna, Arcia, Grissom, Contreras, to name a few, all people of colour, they are all wacists according to you, Mutsfan4ever. Some of you Muts fans are just such pathetic and deluded ‘fans’, some of you even applaud injuries to Braves players which shows what type of **** fanbase you have.
I don’t even know how you call yourself ‘fans’, you’re pathetic. You’re talking about “shame”?
MLB Team Stats, 2000 – 2022
Atlanta Braves W/L 1925-1646 53.9% 13 Made playoffs 6 playoff series wins 1 World Series
New York Mets 1784-1789 49.9% 4 Made playoffs 5 playoff series wins 0000000000000 World Series wins
The Oakland A’s and the LA Angels have better winning records than the Muts, and here you are talking **** about the Braves, and calling people wacists.
As a long time Mets fan I will be happy if they just make the playoffs; all this team to team bickering is useless; Nice to see Baty get some pennant chase experience; just enjoy there is enough turmoil in the world. This stuff should just be fun for all that are in it.
Probably because winning 14 straight titles has never happened before and deserves a mention due to the sheer dominance. With that being said, this also thought Braves fans that division titles mean nothing when you exist after the first round. This is also why Mets celebrating a division title is premature, because whether they finish the feat or not, it won’t matter if they don’t win the WS. At some point, running all over the Marlins and Nats will end.
The Mets are a throwback to the winning teams of the 60s and 70s. They make pitchers go deep into counts, don’t strike out too much, 3-5 daily starters and platoon the rest, dominant front of the rotation, they put the ball in play, and aren’t waiting for the big HR instead its death by 1000 paper cuts. They remind of 80s nemesis St. Louis minus the SB’s or ’79 Orioles, ’68 Tigers minus the multiple power threats. The Braves are a good, not great team but in 2-3 years will be better than the Dodgers. They have potential to be scary good. In 2022 the Mets are a better team. The Phils and Braves are prwtty equal. To get the most out of Syndegard and his innings limit they should move him to the pen in Sept. He could be a real weapon down the stretch if they use him properly.
Everything you said is reasonable. Tonight’s game against the Mets is a good example. While the Braves chased everything thrown at them nowhere in the strike zone, the Mets didn’t. With that being said, they are not a dangerous lineup unless you consider bloops and soft hits dangerous, then yes. Not saying they don’t have a good lineup. They are not scary. Pitching (rotation specifically), that is a different story.
The Mets just brought up their best prospect to fill their biggest weakness. It’s very fortunate but also good planning.