Mets Morning News: Bats beat Nats, Verlander starts in Binghamton today

Meet the Mets

The Mets eked out a 9-8 win over the Nationals at Citi Field last night to avoid getting swept by their lowly division rivals.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, Faith and Fear in Flushing, Daily News, MLB.com

Francisco Álvarez took a couple of swings to the head in the win, but Buck Showalter said that everything checked out fine.

Justin Verlander is slated to start for the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies in Binghamton this afternoon, with the game having been moved to 1 PM in an attempt to beat the rain.

Carlos Carrasco, who is on the injured list with a bone spur in his right elbow, threw a bullpen yesterday and felt good.

The Mets have fared very well when Pete Alonso hits a home run and not so well when he has not.

Adam Ottavino is not a Dodger, but he did go on the paternity list yesterday, with Denyi Reyes called up to take his place on the active roster.

Mets prospect Jett Williams moved up into MLB.com’s top 100 prospects in all of baseball.

Speaking of prospects, old friend Jeffrey Paternostro wrote about Ronny Mauricio’s prospect stock given his hot start in Syracuse.

How has Kodai Senga looked in his first five major league starts?

Danny Abriano wrote about how Brett Baty and Francisco Álvarez can help solve the Mets’ power problem.

Mets legend Ed Hearn found the kidney he very badly needed.

Around the National League East

The Braves took a 4-0 lead over the Marlins into the ninth inning, gave up five runs, and lost.

The Phillies beat the Mariners 1-0.

Around Major League Baseball

The Orioles are off to one of the best starts in franchise history.

The Pirates mourned the passing of Dick Groat.

In light of the A’s’ effort to move to Las Vegas, Evan Drellich wrote about the economics of ballparks and the use of public funds to help build them.

How far away are robot umpires?

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

We wondered if Starling Marte might need a break given his struggles since suffering a neck strain earlier this month.

This Date in Mets History

The Mets hit back-to-back home runs for the first time in franchise history on this date in 1962 and proceeded to hit a third-straight home run for the first instance of back-to-back-to-back home runs immediately thereafter.