Mets Morning News: Schrödinger’s Quintana

Meet the Mets

Reports surfaced yesterday afternoon that the team was planning to shut down José Quintana for at least three months as he recovers from a stress fracture on the fifth rib of his left side. This would have put a realistic return for the left-hander at around the All Star break.

However, Billy Eppler denied that report later in the day. He hopes to have a final update to share by Wednesday.

Bryce Montes de Oca will also miss some times but has seemingly avoided the worst. He was diagnosed with a stress reaction in his elbow and will not throw for a couple of weeks, though an MRI showed no ligament damage.

Kodai Senga threw yesterday following his diagnosis of tendonitis in his index finger. Showalter did say that Senga is feeling better.

In other pitching news, Max Scherzer allowed five runs (three earned) in a minor league game. He pitched parts of five innings, some of which ended because he reached his pitch count limit. Scherzer is just looking to get reps in as he ramps up for the regular season.

Scherzer would prefer that the WBC be held later in the year, instead of during spring training.

Tyler Megill pitched in the team’s “A” game and tossed four scoreless frames, scattering three hits and walking one while striking out three in the team’s 9-3 victory over the Marlins.

Buck Showalter has been a big part of changing the long-standing Mets narrative.

Around the National League East

The Phillies have filed a trademark for the phrase “Bedlam at the Bank”, which was coined during their 2022 World Series run by broadcaster Scott Franzke.

The Braves could have a historic trio at the plate in 2023.

The legend of the Nationals’ Joey Meneses continues to grow with his two homers and bat flip against the United States in the WBC.

Around the World Baseball Classic

The United States put themselves one win from advancing to the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals with an emphatic 12-1 drubbing of Canada.

Korea dropped a WBC-record 22 runs on China to conclude Pool B play. Japan (4-0) and Australia (3-1) advanced from Pool B.

Padres teammates Juan Soto and Manny Machado went deep as the Dominican Republic powered their way past Nicaragua 6-1.

In that game, Duque Hebbert struck out the side in the ninth—Soto, Machado, and Julio Rodríguez—which caught the attention of the Tigers and helped earn the 21-year-old a contract.

Puerto Rico was perfect in eight innings in a 10-0 rout of Israel (we’d call it a perfect game, but a perfect game needs to be at least nine innings).

Great Britain shocked Columbia in the WBC with a 7-5 victory, which ultimately helped put the U.S.A. in a good position to advance.

Yoenis Céspedes has left Cuba to deal with an urgent personal matter (we wish him all the best and hope everything is okay).

Around Major League Baseball

Shohei Ohtani’s New Balance deal has immense potential, writes Esteban Rivera of Fangraphs.

Scumbag Trevor Bauer has signed a one-year deal to pitch in Japan with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars.

Former Met Jordan Yamamoto announced his retirement.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Do you want to know the terrifying truth, or do you want to read my season preview about Pete Alonso and his quest to hit a lot of dingers?

Episode 213 of From Complex to Queens dives into a way-too-early draft special!

Allison McCague provided the second King of Spring Training update.

This Date in Mets History

George Weiss was named the club’s first President on this day in 1961.