Morning Briefing: Mets Begin Long Stretch of Home Games

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets (24-14) are back home at Citi Field to open a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs (22-16). The projected starters for Friday night’s matchup are former teammates who should know each other well. It will be right-handed pitcher Jameson Taillon (2-1, 3.86 ERA), on the mound for the visiting Cubs against right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes (4-1, 2.95 ERA) for the Mets.

Former Mets first-round draft pick Pete Crow-Armstrong will also return to Citi Field on Friday to take on the team that drafted him just five years ago. Crow-Armstrong was sent to Chicago in 2021 in the trade that sent Javier Baez and Trevor Williams to New York.

Beginning Friday, over the course of the next 25 days, the Mets will only leave New York for a total of three days. They have two homestands, a series across the subway to the Bronx and three games in Boston.

Latest Mets News

Pete Alonso shared more details with Sportico about  just how much Hurricane Helene impacted him and his family this offseason: “[The hurricane] put a lot into perspective… I wasn’t going to say anything about it at the time, because we lost our home just like so many other people did in Tampa, and we had to deal with that the entire postseason and the offseason. So the free agency stuff became secondary.”

Per Mike Mayer of Metsmerized, the Mets’ Sunday, May 11 game against the Cubs originally scheduled for 11:35 a.m. has been pushed back half an hour to 12:05 p.m. It will now be aired exclusively on Roku as part of their MLB Sunday Leadoff package.

Latest MLB News

Major League Baseball announced the passing of Chet Lemon (70), a former three-time All-Star and World Series Champion who played nine seasons with the Detroit Tigers

The Baltimore Orioles on Thursday morning announced two roster moves:

• Right-handed pitcher Colin Selby was recalled to Baltimore from Triple-A Norfolk.
• Right-handed pitcher Matt Bowman was designated for assignment.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that they have relieved Derek Shelton of his duties as manager. Bench coach Don Kelly has been named manager of the Pirates.

According to Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register, Chicago Cubs top pitching prospect, Cade Horton is expected to be called up to join the Cubs in New York for the three-game series between the Mets and Cubs.

Per Charlie Goldsmith of Charlie’s Chalkboard Newsletter, Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said right-handed pitcher Hunter Greene is headed to the injured list for a groin strain.

Latest on MMO

David Melendi recapped the Mets’ minor league affiliate games from Wednesday, May 7, which included five innings of one-run ball on the mound for Brandon Sproat and a walk-off home run by William Lugo.

Alexis Farinacci recapped Kodai Senga‘s outing from Wednesday, May 7th. Senga walked five of the first 10 batters he faced, but finished with six scoreless innings in the Mets’ rubber match win over the Diamondbacks.

Andrew Steele-Davis breaks down the 3-up and 3-down from the Mets’ series against the Diamondbacks.

On This Date in Mets History

1986: The Mets defeated the Reds 2-1 to improve to 19-4 on the season, five games ahead of the Montreal Expos.

Born on This Date: Aaron Harang (1978), Jerry Bucheck (1942).

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