Morning Briefing: Topps’ Soto-to-Mets Card Selling Fast

Good morning, Mets fans!

Topps announced on Friday that over 34,000 copies of the Juan Soto signing with the Mets card have sold. Topps announced this number in addition to the cards from his previous transactions. When he was traded to the Padres, that card sold just over 3,000 times. When he was traded to the Yankees, that card sold just over 7,000 times. Mets fans are, clearly, beyond excited for their newest superstar.

Latest Mets News

According to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, the Mets will retire David Wright‘s No. 5 jersey in a ceremony before their July 19 game against the Reds. It’s sure to be an exciting and emotional day for one of the most beloved figures in Mets history.

FOCO released a Juan Soto press conference bobblehead.

Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo spoke to Mike Puma of the New York Post about just how happy they are with the Soto signing and how committed the team is to bringing a championship to Queens.

Brandon Nimmo told Mike Puma of the New York Post that he received a PRP injection on his foot early in the offseason and has been working out four days a week in Florida.

MLB.com ranked Pete Alonso‘s game-winning home run in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card series the No. 5 play of the MLB season.

Lindor and his wife, Katia, announced that they will be having another baby, extending their family to a family of five.

Giles Turner of Bloomberg wrote about the Mets’ crossover with Steve Cohen’s hedge fund, Point72, including the fact that they built MetsGPT, “an internal function that mimicked AI chatbot ChatGPT, giving staff the ability to pull up anything of use to the Mets.”

Latest MLB News

Per ESPN’S Jeff Passan, the Yankees acquired closer Devin Williams from the Brewers in exchange for starter Nestor Cortes and infield prospect Caleb Durbin. Williams was injured for much of the beginning of 2024 but he remains one of the elite relievers in baseball. He has a career 1.83 ERA in 235 2/3 innings, including a 1.25 ERA in 21 2/3 innings in 2024. Nestor Cortes had a 3.77 ERA in 31 appearances (30 starts) for the Yankees this past season, while the five-foot-six Durbin broke out in the Arizona Fall League with a .976 OPS and 29 stolen bases in 24 games.

Passan also reported that the Cubs signed catcher Carson Kelly to a two-year, $11.5 million deal. Kelly had a .687 OPS between the Tigers and Rangers in 2024.

The Cubs also swung a huge deal, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic. Chicago landed outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Astros in exchange for infielder Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and 2024 first round pick, third baseman Cam Smith. Tucker is one of the most underrated players in baseball, owning a career .870 OPS including a .993 OPS in 2024, while Paredes should thrive in Houston with the Crawford boxes in left field. Wesneski is a solid young pitcher, and Smith is a highly touted prospect.

Following the trade of Kyle Tucker, Astros general manager Dana Brown told reporters that the team plans to compete in the AL West and will likely keep starter Framber Valdez despite listening to trade offers.

ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez wrote about the exponentially increasing price on starting pitchers in Major League Baseball.

Private equity billionaire Justin Ishbia is exploring a potential bid to purchase the Minnesota Twins. Ishbia and his brother Mat Ishbia, purchased the NBA’s Phoenix Suns relatively recently.

According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the Blue Jays signed pitcher Eric Lauer to a NRI deal. Lauer was solid for the Brewers in 2021 and 2022 before drastically regressing in 2023.

According to Robert Murray of FanSided, the Pirates signed pitcher Carson Fulmer to a minor league deal. Fulmer had a 4.15 ERA in 37 appearances for the Angels in 2024.

Latest on MMO

Ricky Keeler profiles reliever Carlos Estévez as a potential Mets free agent target.

On This Date in Mets History

1995: The Mets signed Lance Johnson to a two-year contract, following a year in which he was the AL hits leader with the White Sox. In his first and only full season with the Mets, Johnson led the National League with 227 hits and 21 triples. He had an .841 OPS and was named an All-Star for the first time in his career.

Born On This Date: Shaun Marcum (1981), Greg Goossen (1945), Jerry May (1943).

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