Morning Briefing: Soto Squashes Reports of Rift With Lindor

Good morning, Mets fans! Lightning McLean?

Juan Soto addressed several questions that have popped up over the last week in interviews with the Spanish language digital platform El Padi TV posted on X by a user who goes by Master Flip. There were reports of clubhouse tension between Soto and Francisco Lindor and he was asked about their relationship.

“Good, I get along very well with Lindor, you know,” Soto said in Spanish. “He’s a great ballplayer and a tremendous person, and a happy person in the clubhouse amongst everything else.”

How did he find out about Pete Alonso leaving for Baltimore?

“Before the news came out, we already knew what was going to happen, like I said, I always keep in contact with the team.”

Was Alonso a friend?

“We got along well,” he said. “Pete is a tremendous player, tremendous person, a person that cares about his team and wants the best for his team.”

Do the Mets consider you when making roster moves?

“I try to stay in communication with them, we always talk about their vision, and any moves they’re going to make, but at the end, I try to let them do their job and not get that involved. I know what I gotta do on the field and as far as bringing in players, that’s dependent on them.”

Latest Mets News

Nolan McLean did a 56-minute interview with “pitching ninja” Rob Friedman where he talked about nicknames, pitch grips and revealed that Tyrone Taylor is a big in-game supporter. McLean said Lightning McLean “has been kind of up and coming” as a nickname. Friedman suggested McGician. I like Nasty Nolan. MMO’s John Wilson highlighted McLean’s curve last week. The pitch had an average of 26 inches of movement, which led the league.

University of Arizona pitching coach John DeRouin is taking a job in the Mets organization as a pitching coordinator, according to Michael Lev of the Arizona Daily Star. DeRouin, 25, is “considered a rising star in the industry with his ability to use technological tools to teach pitch shapes and improve pitchers’ performance,” Lev wrote.

Latest MLB News

Free agent pitcher Merrill Kelly is going back to Arizona on a two-year, $40 million deal, a source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Kelly, 37, was dealt by the Diamondbacks to Texas at the trade deadline.

Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow told Dani Wexelman on MLB Network Radio that Andrew Friedman, Los Angeles’ president of baseball operations, told him he isn’t being traded. Glasnow’s name had come up in trade rumors involving Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.

Closing arguments are set to begin Monday in the wrongful death civil trial brought by the family of pitcher Tyler Skaggs against the Angels. Testimony began more than two months ago.

Latest on MMO

James Villani goes deep on Jorge Polanco. The 12-year veteran went deep 26 times this year, the second highest home run total of his career.

James Villani takes a stab at projecting the 2026 infield, which should be better defensively than it was last year.

On This Date in Mets History

1990: The Mets trade Bob Ojeda and Greg Hansell to the Dodgers for Hubie Brooks.

2002: Maybe the best defensive middle infield in team history is no more. Edgardo Alfonzo signs with the Giants as a free agent. Rey Ordóñez is traded to Tampa Bay for Russ Johnson and Josh Pressley.

Born on This Date: Johneshwy Fargas (1994), Trevor Hildenberger (1990), Scott Copeland (1987), Mo Vaughn (1967), Art Howe (1946).

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