MACK - MY Friday Observations - Joel Diaz, Roster Moves, Francisco Lindor, Mets 2026 Schedule, Carson Benge, 8th Inning Mark Vientos

 

Morning Thoughts 

I’m not sure if I have anything to yak about this morning. I’m sorta talked out after my Wednesday thoughts, plus the two extra posts on Jonah Tong and Nolan McLean.

I do have to say that the addition of these two studs in the rotation, plus the amazing hitting that is going on lately, has really made me wake up every morning excited for more of this shite to keep happening.

What’s going on this weekend is sorta critical to how this season works out. The Mets have this four-game series with Miami and they simply have to win three of these. Let’s remember… there are seven road games ahead, three in Cincinnati and three in Philadelphia.

Ya’ll need to become Braves fans this weekend because they need to take at least two of those three games, and the Reds are hosting the Cardinals, who have the talent to take two from them. Lastly, the Twins have to pull a miracle winning two from the team the Mets are trying to pass in the Wild Card race, the Padres.

Yeah... don't have anything to talk about. And then the Mets announced that Francisco Alvarez broke his pinky. This shouldn't be confused with the thumb fiasco.  I didn't even bother to ask if it's the same hand.

I said last week that the Mets were rushing back Alvarez, who has had thumb problems for awhile now. I said he should be shut down for the season and should have surgery to handle this properly.  Instead,  it seemed like he taking BP the next day.

Now, Carlos Mendoza says it will be 2-3 more weeks of being shut down.  Three weeks is 21 days. There are 28 games left. 

This team sometimes is just silly.

Mets Player Development              @MetsPlayerDev

Seven one-hit innings earns Joel Díaz the South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week!

 

New York Mets                       @Mets

We have made the following roster moves.

Thomas Nestico              @TJStats

AL & NL WAR Leaders

 

     Mack –

     I think this is the first time Francisco Lindor is listed in the top 10 WAR leaders for the National League.

By the way… Juan Soto is 0.1-WAR behind him… and yet they ranked Kyle Tucker at 10th with a 4.4-WAR when Soto has a 4.6.

New York Mets                                 @Mets

Our full 2026 schedule!

 

Francisco Lindor Is Back, and Also Never Left

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/francisco-lindor-is-back-and-also-never-left/

The Mets are the best Rorschach test in baseball right now. You can see almost anything you want to when you look at them. A band of high-paid underachievers? Sure. A great team in a rough stretch? Yup. A triumph of pitching development? Sure thing, but also a cautionary tale about what happens when you don’t have enough starters to get through the season. Each of those topics – and plenty more – are worth a closer look. But in watching the Mets in recent weeks, I’ve been struck by the same observation every time I watch a game. That observation? Man, Francisco Lindor is good.

Lindor has been right at the center of the Mets’ mid-summer meltdown. After starting the season as hot as he ever has, he posted two straight abysmal months in June and July while the team swooned in sympathy. I’m not sure you understand quite how bad it was, so let’s look at the numbers. He hit a desultory .205/.258/.371 over those two months, good for a 77 wRC+. So imagine my surprise when I looked at this year’s hitting leaderboard and saw Lindor’s 4.7 WAR in 11th place.

CLICK ON LINK FOR THE REST OF THE STORY

Prospect Live –

2025 Top 100 Prospects: End-of-Season Update

https://www.prospectslive.com/2025-top-100-prospects-end-of-season-update/?s=03

17. Carson Benge, OF

Scouting Report

Benge was a two-way talent out of high school, but an elbow injury in 2022 caused him to miss the entire season. Oklahoma State unleashed him as a bat during his sophomore campaign, and while he had a prominent role on the mound, it was clear that Benge’s future resided on the plate. A wiry athlete with plenty of projection to his frame, Benge’s swing is a work in progress. There’s considerable noise in the swing, namely a big leg kick and hand movement, though that has not hampered his ability to generate consistent contact and sustain a mature approach. Benge racks up walks and rarely expands the zone, and while he has an affinity for the opposite field at times, he’s shown an all-fields approach at the dish. Benge does have plus raw power in BP, though his shallow point of contact, long swing, and rotational prowess prevent him from tapping fully into it. There is enough bat speed to help him achieve above-average pop, though he’ll need to shorten up to the ball and improve his impact point. As a defender, Benge should be a regular in right field. Benge would have been the centerfielder for the Cowboys if Zach Ehrhard was not on campus, as his route-running and reads are tremendous and he has a plus throwing arm. - Tyler Jennings

The biggest concern for each MLB contending team down the stretch

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6577911/2025/08/27/mlb-playoff-contenders-concerns-questions/

New York Mets – the bridge to Edwin Díaz

The Mets need their bridge to Díaz, their closer, to be solid the rest of the way. They have the talent to do it, but their relievers haven’t executed in the sixth to eighth innings over the past month.

The promotion of rookie Nolan McLean has given the Mets hope that their rotation will get the job done in the coming weeks, as adding the righty to Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Sean Manaea and Clay Holmes gives them a solid five-man unit. Offensively, Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Pete Alonso will continue to carry them, but it also looks like Mark Vientos (.951 OPS in August) is primed for another strong September and October, which would be huge.

Now it’s up to the newly acquired Ryan Helsley, Gregory Soto and Tyler Rogers, along with Reed Garrett, Brooks Raley and Ryne Stanek to get the job done setting up Díaz. If that happens, the Mets will hold off the Reds and return to October baseball as at least a wild-card team.

Mets Analytics                         @MetsAnalytics

Mark Vientos has 6 home runs in his last 10 games.

His season OPS by day:

8/16 .633

8/17 .649

8/18 .649

8/19 .659

8/20 .660

8/21 .662

8/22 .662

8/23 .688

8/24 .695

8/25 .709

8/26 .711

Tonight .723