Category: new york mets

Yankees’ Aaron Judge surpasses Pete Alonso as MLB odds home run leader favorite

June 2, 2023

New York Yankees star Aaron Judge has surpassed Pete Alonso of the New York Mets as the MLB odds home run leader favorite, according to FanDuel.

Judge’s odds now sit at +270, in front of Alonso’s +390 odds to lead MLB in home runs. Alonso previously led the odds before recently being surpassed by Judge. Other notable names in the odds to lead MLB in home runs include; Matt Olson (+1000), Jorge Soler (+1000), Shohei Ohtani (+2300), and Mike Trout (+2500).

Alonso currently leads MLB with 20 home runs, while Judge closely trails with 18. Judge’s 62-home run 2022 season is likely being taken into account here, given that he now leads the odds despite currently trailing Alonso in homers.

Aaron Judge is in the midst of another terrific all-around season. As of this story’s publication, the Yankees’ superstar is slashing .298/.410/.679 with a 1.089 OPS. The 31-year old inked a $360 million deal with New York during the offseason, and it is paying off for both sides so far.

Alonso won’t go away quietly in the home run race though despite Aaron Judge’s odds lead. The Mets’ slugger has been one of the most consistent home run hitters in the league ever since his rookie season. Alonso’s rookie campaign, which came in 2019, saw him smash an incredible 53 home runs. During the shortened 2020 year, Alonso clubbed 16 home runs. He’s since hit 37 home runs (2021) and 40 home runs (2022).

One other player worth keeping tabs on is Max Muncy of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He wasn’t listed among the top players in the odds, but he’s currently tied with Olson and Soler for third in total home runs with 17.

With Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso leading the charge, the 2023 home run race projects to be exciting to watch.

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Mets bolster bullpen depth in trade with Cubs

June 2, 2023

The New York Mets are hoping for the ultimate bullpen return of Edwin Diaz coming back before the end of the season. But as they wait for Diaz, the Mets have made another, more underrated, addition to their pen.

The Mets have acquired Vinny Nittoli in a trade with the Chicago Cubs. Nittoli had recently opted out of his minor league contract. What New York gave up to land Nittoli has yet to be revealed.

Nittoli joined the MLB as a 25th round pick of the Seattle Mariners back in 2014. He bounced around the minor league circuit and independent baseball before finding his way back to the Mariners in 2021. Then, he got his first chance in the big leagues. The Philadelphia Phillies offered him a similar chance during the 2022 season.

Still, Nittoli has only appeared in three games totaling three innings in the major leagues. He holds a 6.00 ERA with a 2/3 K/BB ratio. To Nittoli’s credit, he didn’t allow an earned run during his two appearances with the Phillies in 2022.

In his latest attempt to come back to the majors, Nittoli signed a minor league deal with the Cubs in January. Through 16 AAA appearances, Nittoli put up a 3.48 ERA and a 22/7 K/BB ratio.

The Mets are still trying to crawl their way back to the top of the NL East. Vinny Nittoli won’t immediately boost their chances. But as New York looks to improve their bullpen for a potential playoff push, perhaps Nittoli gets another chance in the major leagues with the Mets.

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Bartolo Colon reportedly makes final retirement decision

June 2, 2023

Bartolo Colon, the 2005 American League Cy Young winner, is reportedly retiring, per Bob Nightengale.

Colon, 50, was a fan-favorite during his time in MLB. He is remembered for crushing a home run against the San Diego Padres during his tenure with the New York Mets before the implementation of the universal DH. Although Colon played for many different teams in MLB, the Mets will reportedly hold a retirement ceremony for Colon on August 26th against another one of Colon’s former teams, the Los Angeles Angels.

Bartolo Colon’s career

Bartolo Colon carved out an impressive MLB career. His made his big league debut with the Cleveland Indians (now Cleveland Guardians) in 1997. After initially struggling with Cleveland, Colon found his footing in 1998 and turned into a key starting pitcher for the Indians. In 1999, he even finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting.

In 2002, Colon was traded to the Montreal Expos (now Washington Nationals) in a deal that sent future stars OF Grady Sizemore, 2B Brandon Phillips, and SP Cliff Lee to Cleveland.

Colon would end up with the Chicago White Sox in 2003, where he spent only one season before joining the Anaheim Angels (now Los Angeles Angels).

He struggled in 2004, his first season in Anaheim with the Angels. In 2005, however, Bartolo Colon would go on to win the AL Cy Young award.

After his tenure with the Angels came to an end in 2007, Colon spent time with the Boston Red Sox, White Sox (again), New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Mets, Atlanta Braves, Minnesota Twins, and Texas Rangers. He last appeared with the Rangers in 2018, but has since reportedly attempted to make an MLB comeback.

However, it seems that Bartolo Colon is now expected to officially retire from baseball after an impressive 21-year career.

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Mets’ Edwin Diaz gets eye-opening injury update

June 2, 2023

The New York Mets’ 2023 season hasn’t gone according to plan. Edwin Diaz went down with a potential season-ending injury during the World Baseball Classic, and the team has hovered around .500 during the first two months of the season. However, New York recently received an intriguing injury update on Diaz, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports: MLB.

“There is a possibility (of Diaz returning in 2023),” Rosenthal said. “He told me if things keep going with his recovery the way they are going, there is a chance he will pitch again this season. The normal recovery for this injury (torn right patellar tendon), this surgery, is eight months. That would take him to November. But there are athletes who have done it in six months, that’s mid-September… it’s going well so far.”

There’s a chance Edwin Diaz could return in September for the Mets, which would of course be right ahead of the playoffs. Even if Diaz wasn’t able to return until October, that would potentially give him a chance to pitch in the playoffs, assuming the Mets find consistency and reach the postseason.

Diaz, an All-Star closer, seems to believe he can return this season. This will be an interesting story to follow during the second-half of the ’23 campaign.

Overall, the Mets are slowly climbing the standings. They currently sit 3.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves in the AL East. Their 30-27 record isn’t ideal, but New York is getting back on track. The Mets will continue to try and perform well as Diaz attempts to upset the odds and make a comeback in 2023.

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Mets ace Max Scherzer goes scorched earth over MLB’s pitch clock rules

June 2, 2023

The patience of New York Mets ace Max Scherzer has been tested quite a lot during the first two months of the season. Even when things go well, there is no guarantee he will be completely content postgame. Such is the plight of a veteran pitcher forced to adjust to the MLB’s new pitch clock rules.

After throwing a seven-inning gem (one earned run and nine strikeouts) in a 4-2 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, Scherzer again expressed his exasperation with the clock and the umpire’s complete adherence to it, regardless of the situation. He normally throws eight warmup pitches but was halted at seven due to time constrictions. Mets fans can probably guess how the three-time Cy Young felt about that.

“Why can’t the umpire have discretion in that situation, to allow a pitcher to throw his eighth, normal warmup pitch?” an incredulous Scherzer asked, via Tim Britton of The Athletic. “Why do we have to be so anal about this to have a clock shoved in everybody’s face to snuff out every single second that’s going through the game?”

He is the not first one to insist umpires be given more situational freedom with the pitch clock. It is a fine line to balance but an important one that could have an impact on the game or a specific moment within the game. Just look at Chicago Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger’s return to Dodger Stadium back in April. The umpire penalized him with a strike for basking in the gratitude and adulation of the crowd instead of stepping into the batter’s box in the allotted time.

Unsurprisingly, Max Scherzer found it preposterous and used it as evidence for why the implementation of the clock must be tweaked. Affording umpires more discretion is something that could be discussed by the MLB this offseason, but few can deny that this innovation has produced overall favorable results this year.

Scherzer himself has adapted to it and currently has a 3.21 ERA with 48 strikeouts in nine starts in 2023. The Mets (30-27) would prefer their star to be stress-free, but they will gladly accept a disgruntled starting pitcher if he continues to deliver on the mound.

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Phillies vs. Mets prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 6/1/2023

June 1, 2023

The Philadelphia Phillies (25-30) will try to avoid being swept on the road as they visit the New York Mets (29-27). This game will continue our MLB odds series with a Phillies-Mets prediction and pick while we let you know how to watch, as well.

Philadelphia is hitting just .177 in the two games played in this series. Kody Clemens has three hits in six at-bats to lead the Phillies, but he is the only player batting above .300 in the two games (besides Bryce Harper who has only played in one game). Edmundo Sosa has hit the only home run for the Phillies while Brandon March has the team’s lone double. On the mound, the Phillies have been good. They have a 3.38 ERA in 16 innings pitched. They have allowed only 11 hits and nine of those came off the starters.

The Mets pitching staff has been great this series. They have allowed just one run in 18 innings pitched. Both starting pitchers have notched a quality start in the series. The Mets bullpen has thrown five innings and struck out eight while walking just one. New York has walked only two batters in the two games and David Robertson has two saves. At the plate, Starling Marte, Eduardo Escobar, and Mark Canha have two hits in the series. Canha and Francisco Lindor have hit a home run, as well. Canha also leads the team with four RBI.

Taijuan Walker and Max Scherzer are the starting pitchers for the third and final game of this series.

Here are the Phillies-Mets MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Phillies-Mets Odds

Philadelphia Phillies: +1.5 (-140)

New York Mets: -1.5 (+116)

Over: 8.5 (-120)

Under: 8.5 (-102)

How To Watch Phillies vs. Mets

TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia, SportsNet New York

Stream: MLB TV Subscription

Time: 1:10 PM ET/10:10 PM PT

*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread

Walker has been having an alright season. He has an ERA above five, but he does have a 4-2 record. In 11 starts this season, the Phillies have coverd a +1.5 spread seven times. The Mets are bottom half of the league in batting average, so Walker has a good matchup. The Phillies have been able to limit the damage in this series, so Walker should be no different. If Walker can have a good game in this one, the Phillies wil cover the spread. However, he is going to need to pick up his offense in a big way.

Why The Mets Could Cover The Spread

Scherzer gives the Mets a chance to win every time he takes the mound. New York is 6-2 when Scherzer pitches and Mad Max himself is 4-2. Scherzer has given up one run or zero runs in five of his eight starts this season. In five of his six wins, Scherzer has helped the Mets cover a -1.5 spread. With Scherzer taking the bump, the Mets are always going to be a threat to cover the spread.

Scherzer ranks above average in xBA and chase rate. He does not allow many hard hit balls, and with his offspeed being so sharp, hitters tend to chase pitches out of the zone. The Phillies have the second highest chase percentage and 10th highest whiff percentage. Philadelphia will chase the pitches out of the zone and they will swing and miss. Scherzer should come into this game with a lot of confidence and shut down the Phillies.

Final Phillies-Mets Prediction & Pick

I will not be betting against Max Scherzer in this one. Expect the Mets to cover the spread and complete the sweep.

Final Phillies-Mets Prediction & Pick: Mets -1.5 (+116), Under 8.5 (-102)

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Mets news: Phillies broadcast team gets destroyed on Twitter over Francisco Lindor criticism

June 1, 2023

In the fifth inning of Wednesday night’s matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets, Francisco Lindor caught a ball off a line drive by Phillies third baseman Edmundo Sosa before tossing the ball to first base for a double play. It should have been the end of the story right there because regardless of how soft Lindor’s toss was, he still got the job done, which was to get two outs.

However, the Phillies broadcast team did not seem to be all too happy about the perceived effort Francisco Lindor put behind that pass, with Ben Davis even saying that he’s “not a big fan,” and that the Mets star shortstop should have been “a little bit more professional about it.”

Well, Twitter is not really feeling the sentiment of Davis, with baseball fans on social media voicing out their disbelief over such nitpicking.

“No way the Phillies broadcasters were crying about how Lindor threw the ball to 1st base when the batter didn’t even leave the box 😂,” tweeted Marc Luino.

“Asking the Francisco Lindor to be ‘more professional’ about doubling you up on your bad hit-and-run choice is hilarious btw,” said Twitter user @Jolly_Olive.

@TwoCynicsPod did not hold back: “NBC Sports Philadelphia crew with a boomer cynical take ready to go whenever you need it.”

Francisco Lindor and the Mets still got the last laugh, as they defeated the Phillies, 4-1 to move just a win away this Thursday from sweeping their National League East division rivals.

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MLB Odds: Phillies vs. Mets prediction, odds, pick, how to watch – 5/31/2023

May 31, 2023

The Philadelphia Phillies take on the New York Mets. Our MLB odds series has our Phillies Mets prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Phillies Mets.

The Philadelphia Phillies are a very fortunate team right now. That might seem weird to say for a club which is 25-29 through 54 games — exactly one-third of its season, a 75-win pace — but that’s the reality for the defending National League champions. The Phillies are one year removed from their run to the World Series. The level of play they attained last October made them a legitimate preseason contender, but they certainly haven’t played like it with the exception of a few brief hot streaks. Manger Rob Thomson was exactly what the Phillies needed one year ago. He came aboard near this point in the season and got the team turned around after replacing Joe Girardi. However, as May ends in 2023, the results haven’t been there. Why are the Phillies so lucky, then? It’s simple: Other National League teams aren’t taking advantage of Philadelphia’s woes. They aren’t burying the Phils in the standings. The Mets — the team the Phillies play on Wednesday in Queens, New York — are tied with the San Francisco Giants for the second and third National League wild card spots. Their record: 28-27. The Phillies are four games under .500 two months into the season, and they’re just 2.5 games out of a playoff spot. That’s a stroke of good luck.

The Phillies are right in the hunt. They’re not 10 games out of a playoff spot. They just need to play better baseball. We’ll see if they can do so against the Mets on Wednesday.

Here are the Phillies-Mets MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Phillies-Mets Odds

Philadelphia Phillies: -1.5 (+140)

New York Mets: +1.5 (-170)

Over: 8.5 (-122)

Under: 8.5 (+100)

How To Watch Phillies vs. Mets

TV: Comcast-NBC Sports Philadelphia (Phillies) / SNY (Mets) / MLB Network (National)

Stream: MLB.tv

Time: 7:10 p.m. ET/4:10 p.m. PT

*Watch Phillies-Mets LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread

The Phillies have Aaron Nola on the mound. While he is not relentlessly consistent, he does have a high ceiling. We saw how good he could be in the playoffs last October when he smothered the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves in his first two starts. Yes, his limitations were laid bare against the San Diego Padres in the National League Championship Series, but Nola is still a high-end arm who can dominate when everything is clicking. Given how inconsistent the Mets have been at the plate this season, there’s a very good chance that Nola can control this game and limit New York’s offensive output. Since Carlos Carrasco — not one of the Mets’ best starters — is taking the bump for the home team in this game, the Phillies clearly have the edge in the pitching matchup. That’s why they’re favored.

Why The Mets Could Cover The Spread

The Mets have gotten off to a great start in this series. Their 2-0 win over Philly on Tuesday behind Kodai Senga will give this team a shot in the arm. New York is going to be the more confident team when it takes the field for this game. Winning on a night when their sluggish and generally unreliable offense struggles to score should give the Mets a big boost.

The Phillies have been an immensely disappointing team through one-third of the season. The Phillies have a bunch of prodigious power hitters, but they don’t put the ball in play often enough, and they don’t hit well enough with two outs and runners in scoring position. The Mets can definitely frustrate them and get some runs off Nola if the Philadelphia starter is not on top of his game, which happens a fair amount of the time.

Final Phillies-Mets Prediction & Pick

Stay away from this game. The Phillies have the pitching edge, but they’re not playing good baseball.

Final Phillies-Mets Prediction & Pick: Phillies -1.5

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Kodai Senga’s comments after dominant start will fire up Mets fans

May 31, 2023

Kodai Senga’s New York Mets career is off to a roaring start through the first two months. The 30-year-old Japanese phenom tossed his latest gem on Tuesday, stifling the Philadelphia Phillies lineup through seven shutout innings to earn his fifth win of the season.

After the game, Senga talked about pitching in front of his home crowd.

“At home, we have a lot of great fans here,” Senga said through interpreter Hiro Fujiwara. “I don’t want to disappoint them. I just want to win games for us.”

Senga certainly didn’t disappoint in his latest outing in front of a home Mets crowd. His splits at home are fantastic as he sports a 1.20 ERA in five starts at Citi Field.

Shockingly, Senga’s numbers away from home are otherworldly compared to the aforementioned home stats. In five starts on the road, Senga has a 6.12 ERA.

Overall, Senga has a 3.55 ERA with 70 strikeouts through his first 10 starts in the MLB. The Mets are 7-3 in those games.

As the calendar flips to June, teams will start to separate themselves as contenders or pretenders. How Kodai Senga pitches throughout this month may help dictate which category the Mets fall under.

Senga seems to be too talented to not figure things out on the road. The Mets obviously love what they are seeing from the rookie at home, but things need to change on the road if he wants to be relied upon in all situations. Senga’s next start to slated to be in Atlanta against the Braves in another crucial division matchup.

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Mets’ Kodai Senga joins extremely exclusive all-Japan MLB club that doesn’t even include Shohei Ohtani

May 31, 2023

Kodai Senga was a man on a mission Tuesday, as he carried the New York Mets on his back and led them to a 2-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at home. Senga was on point from start to finish of his duty on the mound, and in the process joined an exclusive statistical club in the big leagues of Japanese-born pitchers with at least 70 punchouts in their first 10 starts, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Kodai Senga was dealing against the Phillies, recording 9 strikeouts while giving up just 1 hit in 7 IP. His 70 K in his first 10 career games are the 3rd most by a Japanese-born pitcher in MLB history, trailing only Hideo Nomo (83 K in 1995) & Masahiro Tanaka (79 K in 2014).

Kodai Senga also did not issue a single walk against the Phillies, which was a welcome sight for him and the Mets after he dished out eight walks in his previous two starts. In fact, Senga’s start against the Phillies was the first time he’s not allowed a walk in a game this season. The seven innings he logged in on the hill versus Philadelphia are also the most he’s had in a game in his first year in the big leagues.

So far in the 2023 MLB regular season, the 30-year-old Senga has a 5-3 record to go with a 3.44 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 10 starts.

The Mets are certainly hoping that Kodai Senga will be able to sustain that form and become a norm for him going forward. They signed Senga to a five-year deal worth $75 million back in December.

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