Morning Briefing: Mets Fall Out of Wild Card Spot

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets came into Saturday night’s matchup against the Angels with their eyes set on a series-clinching win to kick off their west coast trip. However, the Mets’ offense was stifled for the first six innings as Angels pitcher José Soriano shut them out, putting the Amazin’s in a 2-0 deficit going into the seventh.

Having Soriano in the rearview mirror, the bats came alive as J.D. Martinez followed up a pair of walks and a Francisco Lindor base hit with a grand slam to put the Mets ahead. But, after a questionable replacement of David Peterson after only throwing 82 pitches, Huascar Brazobán gave the lead right back up in the bottom of the frame. Brazobán gave up back-to-back baserunners before conceding a three-run blast to Zach Neto, which would be the decisive blow. The Mets are now 0.5 GB of the third Wild Card spot, which is held by the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Amazin’s look to bounce back from Saturday night’s 5-4 loss with Josè Quintana (6-6, 3.89 ERA) on the mound, going up against Griffin Canning (3-10, 5.25 ERA) of the Angels at 4:07 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Latest Mets News

After striking out 11 batters in a row, while striking out 13 total in five innings, the Mets promoted RHP Brandon Sproat to Triple-A Syracuse, per Chase Ford of MiLB Central. To learn more about the promotion, click here.

Reed Garrett has joined the Binghamton Rumble Ponies as he plans to start his rehab assignment. Garrett was placed on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation on July 10. Click here for more information on his comeback attempt.

The Mets officially released LHP Jake Diekman, who was recently DFA’d after finishing his Mets tenure with a 5.63 ERA. 

Shintaro Fujinami looked good in Syracuse on Saturday: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K, 25 pitches/16 strikes.

Latest MLB News

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters that Max Fried will be activated off the IL and will pitch for the Braves on Sunday, per Gabriel Burns of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Fried had been on the IL since late last month with forearm neuritis.

The Chicago White Sox released former Phillies and Brewers closer Corey Knebel, per James Fegan of Sox Machine. 

The Los Angeles Angels announced prior to Saturday night’s game that they are placing utility man Luis Rengifo on the 10-day IL with right wrist inflammation. 

The White Sox lost yet again on Saturday. With their 6-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins, they have now lost 19 consecutive games, the longest streak in MLB since the Orioles lost 19 in a row in 2021.

The Detroit Tigers put together comebacks in the ninth, 10th and 11th innings to win on Jim Leyland Day.

The @Tigers score two in the bottom of the 11th to win it! pic.twitter.com/y8v1mB3lWT

— MLB (@MLB) August 4, 2024

Latest on MMO

Metsmerized Online is giving away a Harrison Bader signed card on Twitter/X.

Pete Alonso has been on fire in the second half.

Brandon Sproat is rocketing his way up the Mets system.

On This Date in Mets History

2016: Bartolo Colón becomes the first pitcher to win a Subway Series game as both a Yankee and Met, throwing 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball in the Mets’ 4-1 victory against the Yankees.

2012: Mike Baxter ties the Mets’ franchise record for walks in a game, walking five times against the Padres.

1982: Joel Youngblood makes history, becoming the first player to tally a hit for two different teams in different cities on the same day. Youngblood got a hit for the Mets in Chicago and was then traded to the Montreal Expos that same day. He flew to Philadelphia right away and got a base hit for the Expos.

Birthdays: Steve Bieser (57), Cleon Jones (82)

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