Mets Morning News: Happy Pride Night!

Meet the Mets

Tonight is Pride Night at Citi Field. As part of the festivities, a rainbow balloon wall will be installed at the top of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, comedian Matt Rogers will throw out the first pitch, and Jan Sport will sing the Anthem. Mark Canha recorded a short video expressing his excitement for the celebration, which was shared by the Mets on social media.

Buck Showalter said that Pete Alonso is “progressing well”; there is a chance he could return ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, José Quintana has begun his minor league rehab assignment and needs to be stretched out, but is still on track to return around the All-Star Break.

The Mets are playing shorthanded on the position player side to give Daniel Vogelbach a mental break as he works through his slump.

After Bill Miller ejected Drew Smith from Tuesday’s game, he told David Robertson that his hands were sticky also. “The fact that I was even told that was shocking,” Robertson said.

Sean Reid-Foley, who underwent Tommy John surgery last May, is nearing a minor-league rehab assignment.

Reliever Stephen Ridings, who was rehabbing a lat strain, was activated from the injured list yesterday and optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.

Former Met Matt Harvey has taken a job at a major New York City real estate firm.

Craig Carton is leaving WFAN, according to reports.

On the 40-year anniversary of the Keith Hernandez trade, Bill Ladson of MLB.com wrote about how the trade came to be.

Tim Healey of Newsday wrote about the Mets’ situation at the trading deadline and how they may not be major buyers.

Around the National League East

The Nationals beat the Astros 4-1 in extras, putting up a three spot in the top of the tenth.

Davey Martinez was so frustrated after the Nationals’ loss to the Astros on Wednesday that he printed out a picture of the umpires’ missed call and displayed it during his postgame presser.

The Phillies collected thirteen hits and outlasted the Diamondbacks 5-4.

“I feel bad for the A’s and their fans,” Phillies star and Las Vegas native Bryce Harper said to The Athletic on Wednesday. “They’re so rooted in Oakland. Those fans bleed green. Now it’s, ‘Hey, we’re going to pick the A’s to come to Vegas.’ I don’t agree with that. Who cares what I think? It’s my own opinion. But when you see a team like the A’s — there’s so much history at the Coliseum with all the great players they’ve had. And the last couple of years, it hasn’t been the greatest. I get that. I totally understand. But do I believe they should leave Oakland because of that? No. They could be as good as anybody if they actually went and did it. Those fans deserve that.”

AJ Smith-Shawver earned his first big league win in the Braves’ 8-3 victory over the Rockies.

Kyle Wright, who has been dealing with shoulder inflammation, has been cleared to begin a throwing program.

Around Major League Baseball

Rob Manfred had quite the banner press conference yesterday, first saying about the Oakland A’s: “I hear from ‘em. I feel sorry for the fans in Oakland. I do not like this outcome. I understand why they feel the way they do. I think the real question is, what is it Oakland was prepared to do? There is no Oakland offer. OK? They never got to a point where they had a plan to build a stadium at any site. And it’s not just John Fisher...The community has to provide support. At some point you come to the realization it’s just not going to happen.”

The Oakland Mayor’s office released a statement in response, saying about Manfred’s quote, “This is just totally false.”

Manfred also argued that public funding for stadiums contributes to local economy benefits, despite academic studies that do not support this idea.

Despite claiming that he does not like the outcome, Rob Manfred is the very reason why the A’s are moving to Las Vegas, writes Tim Kawakami of The Athletic.

Manfred also explained why the league leaves Pride Nights up to individual teams rather than standardizing them across the league: “We have told teams, in terms of actual uniforms, hats, bases that we don’t think putting logos on them is a good idea just because of the desire to protect players: not putting them in a position of doing something that may make them uncomfortable because of their personal views.”

Manfred also disagreed with criticisms that sticky-stuff enforcement is arbitrary, citing that umpires are “well-trained” in determining what is legal.

ESPN compared the A’s impending relocation to Las Vegas to Raiders’ relocation.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law exempting minor league baseball players from Florida minimum wage laws—a piece of legislation supported by MLB owners.

“No one is starving, no one is barely able to make ends meet,” said Florida senator Jonathan Martin, a supporter of the bill. “And there is tremendous opportunity that these players are given in exchange for their time...to make generational wealth.”

Matt Monagan of MLB.com spoke to Liam Hendriks and his wife, Kristi about Liam’s battle against Stage 4 cancer.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Ken Lavin brought us the Daily Prospect Report.

This Date in Mets History

201 years ago on this date the City Bank of New York, later Citibank, and now simply Citi, opened for business. The Mets’ home stadium now bears the company’s name.