https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6657014/2025/09/24/francisco-alvarez-mets-cubs-home-run/
Throughout a season that featured more ups and downs than
the world’s best roller coaster, the Mets could’ve used someone with more of an
edge. An emotional player. Someone who speaks out. Someone who turns things up.
How about the guy with “the best” tattooed across his neck? The guy playing
with a broken pinky and bum thumb? The guy who stops and stares after hitting a
critical home run when every game means everything for the Mets’ playoff hopes.
A couple of Alvarez’s teammates used the same word when
describing the moment: electric.
“That’s who he is,” Mets manager Carlos
Mendoza said. “We feed off that. Guys love it. As a team, we need that.
We need that spark. We need that energy. For him to do it at that moment, we
all felt it in the dugout. He’s special.”
Each MLB Team's Biggest 'What-if?' of 2025 Season
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25251158-each-mlb-teams-biggest-what-if-2025-season
New York Mets: What if their veteran starters performed
better down the stretch?
If the Mets ultimately miss the postseason, many things
will be second-guessed in New York. The biggest question will be whether the
president of baseball operations, David Stearns,
devoted enough resources to veteran starting pitching.
Sean Manaea was one of
baseball's best pitchers in the second half of the 2024 season, ultimately
earning him a three-year, $75 million deal in free agency. But Manaea didn't
make his 2025 season debut until July, and now has a 5.40 ERA across 55 innings
pitched.
David Peterson was an
All-Star for the Mets in 2025, but has a 5.71 ERA since appearing in the
Midsummer Classic.
Clay Holmes has a 4.70
ERA in the second half, as opposed to a 3.31 ERA in 19 first-half starts. That
was predictable considering this is his first year as a starter, so he's likely
gassed by this point in the season.
Kodai Senga accepted
an option to Triple-A after posting a 6.56 ERA in eight post-All-Star Break
starts. He's got a 5.40 ERA over his first three starts for Triple-A Syracuse.
It's great to have exciting young starters with Nolan
McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat, but this time of the year, you need
multiple veteran stoppers. Carlos Mendoza hasn't been able to lean on those
types of arms.
Mets
Analytics @MetsAnalytics
Most win probability added in a season by a reliever,
Mets history:
445% Armando Benitez 2002
403% Randy Myers 1988
360% Edwin Díaz 2022
358% Edwin Díaz 2025
350% Jeurys Familia 2015
342% Billy Wagner 2006
338% Jesse Orosco 1983
330% Armando Benitez 2001
310% Armando Benitez 2000
306% Roger McDowell 1985
304% Seth Lugo 2019
Which of these aces will be MiLB Pitching Prospect of the
Year?
Jonah Tong, RHP, Mets
(No. 4/MLB No. 43)
Age: 22
Double-A: 8-5 W-L, 1.59 ERA, 20 G, 102 IP, 50 H, 2 HR, 44
BB, 162 K, .143 AVG, 0.92 WHIP
Triple-A: 2-0 W-L, 0.00 ERA, 2 G, 11 2/3 IP, 8 H, 0 HR, 3
BB, 17 K, .190 AVG, 0.94 WHIP
Total: 10-5 W-L, 1.43 ERA, 22 G, 113 2/3 IP, 58 H, 2 HR,
47 BB, 179 K, .148 AVG, 0.92 WHIP
Tong moved from Canada to Georgia for his high school
senior season in 2022 before turning pro and didn't do much in his pro debut
the following year. He placed fifth in the Minor Leagues with a 34.2 percent
strikeout rate in 2024, then became the first pitcher to lead the Minors in ERA
and strikeouts in the same season since they restructured in 1963 into the
system we know today. He also topped the Minors in average-against, strikeout
rate (40.5 percent) and strikeout minus walk rate (29.9 percent).
Called up to the Mets in late August, Tong operates from
an extremely deceptive delivery with an over-the-top arm slot and quality
extension, leading to persistent Tim Lincecum comparisons. His mid-90s fastball
has tremendous carry and pairs well with his down-breaking upper-70s curveball,
while his fading mid-80s Vulcan changeup has become a weapon this season.
14 comments:
McLean was a machine.
Alvarez is amazing. He absolutely needs to try to be more careful to stay healthy. Be aggressive, not reckless. If he can do that, he will be great.
Diaz is great. He deserves 2 yr/$60 million.
1. Yes, Nolan was great, but there is no reason Mendoz sould have kept him in for that last inning. He qualified for the win, his yearly pitch count was off the charts, and he had a five run win.
I must have missed something Alvarez did
I don't think Diaz will sign for two years. There will be at least one team that offers more than that
Alvarez has had a few big hits of late and is a ball of positive energy in dugout. Energizes others. Post All-Star, .286/.370/.598, also.
Magic number
3
IMO
this is probably the Alvarez we have been dealt with
Balls seem to find him
There is not enough ink being written about the fact that the Mets have the highest percentage of throwing out runners IN THE LEAGUE
If Alvy is the spark, then why did this team slog through the last 3 months in a funk? He has been in NY for at least part of that time. We need more energy to eliminate these Jeckyl and Hyde swings that have plagued the team in September.
McLean was like watching a video game last night. His breaking stuff is out of this world.
Last year’s was Inglesias
Have to agree with Paul, Alvarez was here all along and Torrens played well when Ally wasn’t.
On Monday, Tim Britton offered some kind of stat that said that the Mets have had the most amount of bad luck and by other means they should have from five to eight more wins. Lies, Damn Lies, and Stats. We have watched enough games to know they deserve their plight.
Britton must have wanted to make sure he gets his parking spot
Lets not forget the kid is TWENTY THREE! Lets give him a break. I did question Mendy again last night for not using Alvy at DH but we won so he gets a pass but go with the hot hand or is it just me. I saw their thinking of bringing up Dylan Ross ? Again why did it take this long?
I'm going to believe the Ross promotion when I see him on the mound
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