MACK - MONDAY OBSERVATIONS - Forest Griffin, D’Andre Smith, Kodai Senga, Important Dates, Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham

 

Foster Griffin

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Left-hander Foster Griffin’s Major League resume consists of seven games and eight innings of 6.75 ERA ball with the Royals and Blue Jays during the 2020 and 2022 seasons.  Looking for a change of scenery, Griffin signed with the Yomiuri Giants prior to the 2023 season, and the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports that the 30-year-old southpaw is now looking to return to North American baseball after three successful years in Japan.

Injuries also played a role in Griffin’s career. Griffin’s tore his UCL in his very first big league game in 2020, resulting in a Tommy John procedure and a long stint on the shelf.  His good numbers in 2022 seemed to indicate that he’d covered well from his surgery, but his decision to head overseas may have been inspired by a desire to get another crack at starting.

The decision to bet on himself looks to have paid off.  Griffin had a 2.57 ERA, 25.07% strikeout rate, and 5.52% walk rate across 315 2/3 innings and 54 games with the Giants.  His debut year in 2023 was so impressive that the Giants inked him to a two-year extension, which is notable since foreign-born players in NPB are usually given just one-year deals.  Griffin’s work helped the Giants reach the postseason in each of the last two NPB seasons.

FanSided’s Robert Murray mentioned back in July that MLB teams had taken notice of Griffin’s numbers in Japan, so with his contract with the Giants now completed, it isn’t surprising that Griffin is aiming to get back to the bigs. 

 

MLB's Arizona Fall League                           @MLBazFallLeague

Saturday night Mets prospect D’Andre Smith tied a single-game record with four stolen bases against the Saguaros. Smith stole both second and third base twice

 Kodai Senga

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Is there a world where the New York Mets move on from Kodai Senga?

In a recent offseason guide for the Milwaukee Brewers by Bleacher Report, they are predicted to pursue Senga via a trade:

"In Milwaukee, Senga could fill the Brandon Woodruff void of "guy who generally pitches quite well when healthy, but probably shouldn't be counted on for anything close to a full season of work."

The 32-year-old from Japan is named as one of three "trade targets" for Milwaukee.

Senga still has two seasons on his contract, both worth $15 million, but it would make sense for the Mets to move on from him, considering they sent him to Triple-A for the majority of September this season.

All in all, Senga did make 22 starts and posted a 3.02 ERA in 113.2 innings. He also struck out 109 batters. However, his ERA was as low as 1.39 in July before he was sent to the IL. In August, Senga gave up 20 earned runs in six starts, and that led to his demotion. 

 

Important dates for NY Mets fans to know in the 2025-26 MLB offseason

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November 10-13: GM meetings

Before the chaos of the Winter Meetings, the league's top executives will gather for the annual GM Meetings. While major transactions are rare during this period, these meetings are crucial for laying the groundwork for future deals. Expect to hear reports of David Stearns meeting with agents and other front offices, planting the seeds for the trades and free-agent pursuits that will dominate headlines in the weeks to come.

November 18: Rule 5 protection deadline

Ahead of the non-tender deadline, the Mets must decide which of their eligible minor league prospects to add to the 40-man roster. This protects them from being selected by another organization in the Rule 5 Draft. A key name to watch is outfielder Nick Morabito, a highly-regarded prospect whose accelerated eligibility clock makes him vulnerable. Leaving a player like Nick Morabito unprotected would risk losing him to another team for a nominal fee.

November 21: Non-Tender deadline

This is a key date for roster management. The Mets must decide whether to offer 2026 contracts to their arbitration-eligible players or "non-tender" them, immediately making them free agents. This decision often comes down to performance versus projected salary. Players on the bubble could include pitchers Tylor Megill and Reed Garrett, as well as infielder Nick Madrigal. These moves will be the first concrete steps in reshaping the 2026 roster.

December 8-11: The Winter Meetings & Rule 5 draft

For four days, the entire baseball world will converge for the annual Winter Meetings, the epicenter of offseason activity. This is where major free-agent signings and blockbuster trades often materialize. Expect the Mets to be heavily engaged in the starting pitching market. The week culminates with the Rule 5 Draft on December 11, where teams can select eligible, unprotected players from other farm systems. The Mets could look to add a diamond-in-the-rough or risk losing one of their own prospects they left unprotected.

  

Jim Koenigsberger                          @Jimfrombaseball

Ray Kinsella: Are you Moonlight Graham?

Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham: No one's called me Moonlight Graham in fifty years.

Ray Kinsella:  Fifty years ago, for five minutes you came within... y-you came this close. It would KILL some men to get so close to their dream and not  touch it.

God, they'd consider it a tragedy.

Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham: Son, if I'd only gotten to be a doctor for five minutes... now that would have been a tragedy.

This is my most special place in all the world, Ray. Once a place  touches you like this, the wind nevers blows so cold again.

You feel for it, like it was your child.

"We just don't recognize life's most significant moments while they're  happening. Back then I thought, "Well, there'll be other days."

I didn't realize that that was the only day".

'Moonlight' made his one and only appearance for the Giants in 1905.

His story was popularized by the 1989 film "Field of Dreams."

Dr. Archibald 'Moonlight' Graham treats children in his Chilsom medical clinic, 1937