Mets Morning News: Zack Wheeler looking forward to re-joining Mets rotation

Meet the Mets

Zack Wheeler is still aiming for a mid-season return, though given the potential for setbacks, he'd like to avoid an exact timetable.

The Mets haven't spent much this winter, but general manager Sandy Alderson has been making the case that they are doing so for baseball reasons—not payroll reasons.

Around the National League East

After trading Drew Storen to the Blue Jays, Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo is praising Jonathan Papelbon with "he knows how to win" material. He also knows how to make himself undesirable in the trade market, apparently.

Despite the fact that he is represented by Scott Boras—who is feuding with the team over Jose Fernandez and Marcell Ozuna—the Marlins might be interested in signing starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen.

The Braves lost Joey Terdoslavich on waivers after signing Kelly Johnson, which isn't incredibly consequential news as far as the Braves' ability to compete goes. But we won't be hearing the WOR and SNY booths pronounce that last name nearly as frequently now.

Around Major League Baseball

The Chicago White Sox have stayed remarkably healthy over the past several years, and Ted Berg offers up some ideas as to why that might be the case.

This date in Mets history

On this date several years ago, the Mets and Mike Pelfrey agreed to a four-year contract not long after the team drafted the pitcher.