Mets Morning News: Disappointed, but not surprised

Meet the Mets

The Mets were back to their old ways in a Jacob deGrom start, as they mustered just one run in a 2-1 loss to the Rays in the series opener. Jacob deGrom was routinely brilliant, matching a career high with 14 strikeouts over seven innings. He did allow two runs as his ERA rose a tick up to 2.14, but he otherwise assuaged any fears following his short start last time out. On offense, Wilson Ramos collected two singles but was brutal behind the plate. Jeff McNeil picked up two hits of his own and drove in the lone run for New York.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue short and long, Daily News, NY Post, North Jersey, MLB.com, Newsday

In response to the lost, deGrom said the team is disappointed but not necessarily ‘surprised’ at how this season turned out.

Prior to the game, the team announced that they were placing Jake Marisnick on the IL with a hamstring injury, effectively ending his season. The team recalled Guillermo Heredia, who started in center field last night in his debut for the team.

Michael Conforto was out of the lineup for only the second time in 2020 after experiencing some tightness in his hamstring. The club originally announced that it was just a day off.

Luis Rojas revealed that Dellin Betances had been pitching with his lat injury since his appearance in Boston back in late July. He is currently on the injured list.

Nobody truly knows what Steve Cohen will do until he officially voted in as the new Mets owner. However, sources close to Metro amNY have said that Cohen will clean house, beginning with GM Brodie Van Wagenen.

Joel Sherman explored the potential search for a new GM if Van Wagenen departs.

Sherman also examined why Cohen is picking Sandy Alderson over one of his own top lieutenants.

Yesterday marked 19 years since Mike Piazza’s emotional home run at Shea following the September 11th attacks. Jay Horwitz shared some thoughts on the moment from his perspective.

The Mets game on Saturday night will be moved up from 7:07 Eastern to 6:05 Eastern.

Around the National League East

In response to a question about J.T. Realmuto’s future with the team, Phillies GM Matt Klentak said, “Look, what I’ve said all along, we would love to have J.T. here, but when you make that trade, you’re trading for two years of control and you know that”. So was he being coy, or pessimistic?

The Phillies, playing without the injured Realmuto for the eleventh straight game, fell to the Nationals 5-1 in D.C. The loss dropped Philadelphia to .500 on the season.

During the game, Roman Quinn and manager Joe Girardi were both ejected for arguing a call by the home plate umpire.

The Braves responded to a three-run Marlins first inning with four runs of their own in the bottom of the frame. They rode that momentum to a 5-4 victory at Truist Park.

Before the game, the Braves got some unfortunate injury news, as Cole Hamels was shut down for the season. After suffering an injury during spring training, he made one start against the Orioles before realizing his shoulder was not healthy enough to compete effectively for Atlanta.

Around Major League Baseball

MLB and the MLBPA will come together to commit $10 million in partnership with The Players Alliance. The money will be used to improve representation of Black Americans in all levels of baseball.

Curtis Granderson shared his thoughts on the partnership.

The Reds bested the Brewers 6-3 to climb into the first Wild Card spot in the National League. They maintain a half-game lead over the Phillies. The Brewers currently sit half-game behind Philadelphia for the final playoff spot.

Yankees President Randy Levine plans to argue the case to fight the court-ordered release of “The Yankees Letter” himself, in an uncommon move. (Paywall Alert)

Aroldis Chapman’s hearing for his three-game suspension will be pushed back to the 2021 season due to an issue involving availability of witnesses.

The Pirates claimed right-handed pitcher Carson Fulmer from the Orioles.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Join A Pod of their Own and Amazin’ Avenue on Saturday, September 26 for the #Dollars4Dingers watch party and prize drawing event! There will be a live podcast, a watch party for the second-to-last Mets game of the season, and the hosts will draw prizes for those who donated to #Dollars4Dingers! Zoom details are in the link.

Chris McShane covered the team’s roster move prior to the game.

Episode 80 of From Complex to Queens went up and looked at bad luck, recent trades, and the draft.

This Date in Mets History

The Mets kicked off their final home series of the year with a thrilling, rollercoaster 9-8 victory over the Phillies on this date in 2016. The game featured multiple late comebacks as the team fought for a shot at a Wild Card berth. With New York trailing 6-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth, Jose Reyes socked a two-run homer with one out to knot the score at six. After Philadelphia snagged the lead back in the top of the eleventh with two runs, the Mets stormed back in the bottom half of the frame, with Asdrubal Cabrera providing the finishing blow in the form of a dramatic three-run homer that elicited a double “OUTTA HERE” from Gary Cohen.