Category: New York Mets

Bryce Harper Hits Soccer Celebration After Smacking Home Run in London vs. Mets
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Bryce Harper Hits Soccer Celebration After Smacking Home Run in London vs. Mets

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper seems right at home in London.

Harper, who walked the streets of London by day, is now hitting home runs by night during game action against the New York Mets on Saturday, as the Phillies slugger belted a game-tying solo home run during the top of the fourth inning, a frame that saw Philadelphia break the game open with a six-spot.

Then, to put a cherry on top of the home run, Harper, in an ode to soccer fans across London and the United Kingdom, perfectly hit a soccer celebration right in front of the Phillies' dugout.

Perfect form by Harper. The Phillies star is seeing the ball just as well across the pond as he did in the United States, as he reached base in his first three at-bats with a single, double and the solo shot.

Harper and the Phillies held a 6-1 lead over the Mets after four innings.

Bryce Harper, MLB, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies
0
Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Bet Dodgers as Road Underdogs)
8 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Rounding the Bases: MLB Straight Up Picks for Every Game Today (Bet Dodgers as Road Underdogs)

Saturday's MLB slate is headlined by the battle between the two favorites to win the World Series, the Dodgers against the Yankees in the Bronx.

The World Series preview in June takes center stage as all of Major League Baseball is in action on Saturday. Lucky for you, we have commentary on how to bet every game!

Keep reading to find out how we view each game on the Saturday slate.

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Pick: Mets (+150)

There’s some variance baked into this game with it being played in London as part of MLB’s London Series. 

With a short center field fence and the wind projected to be blowing out at London Stadium, this can be a short outing for the likes of Ranger Suarez, who is driving most of the opening odds in this game. 

Pick: Twins (-120)

Simeon Woods Richardson continues to thrive for the Twins in his first full season with the club, posting a 3.04 ERA while showcasing excellent control, posting a walk rate of only six percent. The Minnesota starter will match up against Pirates opener Carmen Mlodzinski, who will put a ton of pressure on the Pittsburgh below average bullpen. 

With the pitching edge, including a better pen, I’ll take the Twins as short road favorites. 

Pick: Nationals (+120)

MacKenzie Gore has been outstanding this season, striking out a career best 27.3% of batters with a career low 3.57 ERA. 

The former Padres prized prospect is starting to see perform like it and now draws a Braves team that is struggling without Ronald Acuna Jr, who tore his ACL and is out for the year. Atlanta is hitting only .211 in June. 

Pick: Athletics (+135)

The Blue Jays remain a non starter for me as a road favorite, even against the lowly A’s. 

Kevin Gausman has been overvalued all season, and Toronto is only 6-6 in his 12 starts. The right hander has an ERA of 4.60 while his xERA is far worse at 5.26, per MLBStatcast. He is striking out only 22% of batters, the lowest rate since 2018, and remains a worthy fade. 

Pick: Brewers (-165)

Freddy Peralta has been outstanding this season, striking out nearly a third of the batters he has faced while keeping his walk rate below eight percent, about the big league average. 

It’ll be tough sledding for the Tigers lineup that is bottom third in Major League Baseball in OPS while the Brewers are far better at generating run support for its pitching staff, fourth in the same metric. 

Pick: Royals (+115)

The Royals rallied to win 10-9 on Friday, and the team remains a great bet at home, 23-10 at Kauffman Stadium this season. 

Kansas City will have a stiff test against Luis Castillo, but the Royals ability to generate power is notable considering Castillo has allowed a barrel percentage in the 28th percentile this season, per MLBStatcast, and allows a high fly ball rate of over 60%. 

Pick: Rays (+115)

Both starters have missed time this season, with different results, but I’m betting on it going in a different direction on Saturday. 

Kyle Bradish of the Orioles has made six starts and has been pitching the best baseball of his career. He is striking out 32% of batters, way above his career average, while allowing a hard-hit percentage of only 25%, 99th percentile in the big leagues. 

While it’s a fantastic start for a league average pitcher, regression will come for him soon. 

I’ll try here, on the road against a Rays team that has pop in the lineup and a pitcher who has a high ceiling in Taj Bradley. The hard throwing right hander hasn’t had good results this season, his xERA is hovering around 7.00, but i believe he can outperform expectations given the Orioles have the third fewest walks on the year. 

Pick: Reds (-120)

The Cubs’ skid has continued while the Reds have won six straight, so I’ll side with the hot home team. 

It also helps that Chicago is bottom 10 in OPS against left handers this season as the team faces Reds’ starter Andrew Abbott. 

Pick:Red Sox (-205)

Chicago snapped a 13 game skid on Friday, but I’m not counting on two wins in a row. 

Pick: Rockies (+160)

Can Kyle Gibson justify this price tag? The veteran pitcher has a 3.69 ERA that is supported by a 4.99 xERA with a walk rate hovering around 10%. 

For what it’s worth, Ryan Feltner pitches better on the road than at the hitter friendly Coors Field, so I can get behind him outperforming expectations. 

Pick: Dodgers (+105)

The two best teams in baseball continue its weekend series, and I’ll side with the road underdog given the Yankees’ overall fitness with Juan Soto’s status in doubt for the foreseeable future. 

If New York’s lineup isn’t at its best, it’ll be tough to keep up with the Dodgers, who have the highest OPS against left handed pitching this season. 

Pick: Guardians (-160)

Cleveland is the far more talented side here and should have little issue snagging a road win. 

Ben Lively’s strikeout rate is at a career high of 23% and the Guardians have the clear offensive edge, 11th in OPS against the Marlins, who check in 29th. 

Pick: Diamondbacks (+125)

I’ll take Arizona to stay hot in June, winners of five of six, at an underdog price. 

Ryne Nelson isn’t a strikeout-focused pitcher, only 14.9%, but he has limited his walks to only six percent, which is impactful against a Padres team that is reliant on drawing walks to get runners on base. Nelson’s ERA is also due to come down from his mark of 5.44, with an xERA of 4.77. 

Pick: Astros (-165)

Angels starter Tyler Anderson has been among the best pitchers in baseball, but I expect a tough summer for the veteran left hander. 

He has an ERA of 2.37, which is staggering to see given some of his other numbers, including a 16% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate. Meanwhile, his xERA is 4.49, making him ripe for a few blow ups as the season continues. 

I’ll count on Saturday against a Houston lineup that is top five in OPS against southpaws. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Arizona Diamondbacks, atlanta braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, MLB best bets, MLB Betting Preview, MLB Picks, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays
0
Could London Series Feature Most Runs Scored in an MLB Game?
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Could London Series Feature Most Runs Scored in an MLB Game?

MLB travels across the pond this weekend for another iteration of the London Series, which will be held for the third time in five years with plans to circle back in 2026. This time, the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets will lock in for a division rivalry game—which is typically the sort of matchup the league brings to its international audience—in the United Kingdom on Saturday and Sunday.

Previously the New York Yankees played the Boston Red Sox in 2019. Most recently, the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs faced off in 2023.

Each time, scorelines have been high and the offense has been exciting, which has boded well for the league's presumed hopes to drum up a global interest in the sport and capture a novel audience.

Looking at the offensive trends and history, going into the London Series game I thought it useful to take a gander at the highest-scoring games of all time and the likelihood that someday a London Series game flirts with the record.

Here are the highest scoring games of all time:

Teams

Total runs scored

Year

Phillies/Cubs

49

1922

Phillies/Cubs

45

1979

Giants/Reds

38

1901

Braves/Marlins

38

2020

The runline of nearly 50 runs in 1922 has stood the test of time, as has the 38-run game in 1901 which remains tied for top three. That was before the technical formation of the MLB, which came when the American and National Leagues merged in 1903.

The London Series typically produces high-scoring games. The first game in London in 2019 featured 30 and then 20 runs scored in the two games played. The second series was a bit less explosive but also relatively high-scoring, with 10 and 13 total runs scored.

A few reasons could be pointed to as explanations for high run totals in London.

Long flights for both teams and strange routines could create tired players and a resulting lack of defensive spunk that might otherwise be present. Conspiracy theorists might believe the unproven idea that MLB procures balls for special events that are more likely to go for hits than otherwise.

Another is the favorable dimensions of London Stadium. The left and right foul poles are 330 feet, with dead center sitting 385 feet away from home plate. The wall is 16 feet tall. No other MLB park features such a short distance to center field, with Fenway Park coming closest at 390 feet.

London Stadium featured a 142 park factor rating in 2023 and a 171 in 2022 according to Statcast, both of which favored the offense by any other venue in the league those respective seasons.

While center field is quite shallow at London Stadium, left and right field both are relatively healthy distances away. With most fly balls tending to be hit to left or right field rather than dead center, a shallow middle wall may not be as much of a hitter advantage as one would think.

This year, also, there's been an observed difference in how balls carry. Of balls that are hit 95 miles per hour or harder and at 15 degrees of launch angle or more, fewer are going for home runs so far in 2024 compared to previous seasons. According to Statcast, about 46 percent of those hits have been home runs this year, with that rate above 55 percent in all years of Statcast tracking before 2024. That has led to some conspiracy theorizing from social media sleuths.

Though there's no documented proof of MLB procuring balls for specific events that will produce greater offense, it is generally accepted that baseballs have variability year-to-year in terms of how they play. That expected variability could be playing into a generally more tepid offense this season.

So, will we see a record-breaking offensive performance at London Stadium in 2024? It's possible, but reaching the record marks of 45-plus is statistically unlikely. There's a reason that record has stood, without even a small threat, since 1922.

The Phillies are second in runs scored per game so far in 2024, and the Mets punch in 4.39 per game (14th in MLB).

london stadium, MLB, MLB News, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies
0
Every MLB Team's World Series Odds Through First Two Months of 2024 Season
7 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Every MLB Team’s World Series Odds Through First Two Months of 2024 Season

We're officially more than two months into the 2024 Major League Baseball season so it's time to take a step back and take a look at the futures markets.

What teams have underperformed? What teams are a surprising contender? Are there any teams we should bet on now or are there a few we should stay away from?

In this article, we're going to take a look at the latest World Series odds for all 32 teams. Let's dive into it. All odds listed in this article are via FanDuel Sportsbook.

The Dodgers, despite underperforming by their standards, are still set as the World Series favorites at +260, which is an implied probability of 27.78%. There's no denying the talent this roster has and they're still playing well enough to have a hefty lead on the NL West.

The New York Yankees have been the best team in baseball through the first two months. Their pitching has been sharp and their offense, specifically the play of Juan Soto and Aaron Judge, has been unbelievable. If I were to pick one team to win it all at this point of the season, I'd pick the Yankees.

The Phillies have the best record in the National League at 44-19. They have a great chance to yet again go on a deep playoff run.

The injury bug has bitten the Braves, most notably Ronald Acuna Jr., who will miss the rest of the 2024 season. There's still plenty of time for them to rally and there's a reason they're still fourth on the odds list to win it all.

The Orioles are still well behind the Yankees in the AL East, but at 39-22, they'll be back in the playoffs once again.

The Seattle Mariners lead the AL West, but their offense needs to wake up if they want to be true World Series contenders in 2024.

The AL Central was supposed to be the worst division in baseball, but as of writing this article, four of the five teams are at .500 or above, including the Minnesota Twins at 33-29.

The Houston Astros don't look like the same contender they once were. Their metrics are still respectable and their offense has woken up in recent weeks. If there's one team that has got off to a slow start that I could see getting hot in the second half of the season, it's the Astros.

The Cleveland Guardians are eye-popping 40-21 as of writing this article. While that's impressive, I wouldn't be surprised if he saw some regression from this team in the second half of the season.

The Milwaukee Brewers lead the NL Central and have had one of the better offenses through the first two months of the season. They are a team to watch in the National League.

It's been a bad start to the season for the defending World Series champions. Their offense has been middling and their bullpen continues to cost them games. They need to find a way to turn the ship around or they're going to fail to make the playoffs.

The Kansas City Royals might be the single most surprising team in the Majors this season at 37-26. Not only has their record been good, but they have the metrics to back it up. Between strong offensive statistics and more than one Cy Young candidate in their rotation, the Royals could be a Cinderella story in 2024.

The Blue Jays may be the most disappointing team in the Majors. Despite looking like a talented squad on paper, their offense has been without teeth and their bullpen has been abysmal. On top of that, their rotation hasn't been nearly as good as it was last year. Time is running out for Toronto.

I feel sorry for Mets fans. It's been a disaster of a season and they're already 16.5 games back from the Phillies in the NL East.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Arizona Diamondbacks, atlanta braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, MLB, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, Washington Nationals, World Series
0
MLB Chooses Utterly Bizarre Player to Advertise Phillies-Mets Series in London
4 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

MLB Chooses Utterly Bizarre Player to Advertise Phillies-Mets Series in London

The series this weekend between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies in London will carry no shortage of star power.

The white-hot Phillies boast first baseman Bryce Harper, (injured) shortstop Trea Turner and ace-in-the-making Ranger Suarez. The struggling Mets can still point to shortstop Francisco Lindor, first baseman Pete Alonso and designated hitter J.D. Martinez.

New York cannot, however, point to pitcher Jake Reed—as he has not been on the team since 2022.

That's no matter to MLB's marketing team, however, which is displaying Reed's visage on at least one promotional poster in London—to the shock of Mets fans worldwide.

Is Reed a star fans may have forgotten, you may be asking (given that New York won 101 games in '22)?

Nope. In parts of two seasons with the Mets, he went 1-1 in nine games with an 8.18 ERA; he has a career ERA of 7.57 with three teams. He has not played organized baseball this year.

Why don't MLB's powers-that-be throw Jorge López on there while they're at it?

Jake Reed, MLB, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies
0
Keith Hernandez Flubs Simple Addition, Leaves Mets Broadcasting Booth in Hysterics
1 Jun 24 Jimm Sallivan

Keith Hernandez Flubs Simple Addition, Leaves Mets Broadcasting Booth in Hysterics

If you take a trip over to former first baseman Keith Hernandez's Baseball Reference page, you'll find a litany of National League-leading numbers—a .344 batting average in 1979, a .408 on-base percentage in 1980, 94 walks in 1986.

Just please—for the love of God—do not ask the man himself to add or subtract them.

Hernandez's hilariously bad attempt at doing simple math Saturday left the New York Mets' broadcast booth laughing during their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. As SNY returned from a commercial break in the bottom of the first, the network showed a man in Hernandez's No. 17 jersey and a man in Hall of Fame catcher Gary Carter's No. 8 jersey.

"Carter and Hernandez, two guys who had C's on their chest," play-by-play announcer Gary Cohen noted.

"That's right. That adds up to 15, doesn't it?" Hernandez asked.

"What?" his co-announcers asked.

"17 and 8," Hernandez replied.

"That's 25," Cohen told him as all three announcers busted up laughing.

Unless you're somebody like Moe Berg, there's a reason baseball players are baseball players and mathematicians are mathematicians.

Arizona Diamondbacks, Keith Hernandez, MLB, New York Mets
0
The Jorge López Situation is Only Getting Worse for the Mets
30 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

The Jorge López Situation is Only Getting Worse for the Mets

Jorge López was designated for assignment by the New York Mets on Thursday. The move came the day after he was ejected from the Mets' latest team meltdown. López was struggling on the mound and another game was slipping away from the Mets when he started arguing with third base umpire Ramon De Jesus about a call. After De Jesus ejected him, he untucked his jersey and threw his glove over the protective netting into the stands.

Speaking to the media after the game he called himself the worst teammate in baseball, but struggled to make it clear that's what he meant because English is his second language. It was a mess all around and this morning he blamed the media for making it worse, which they did, even if it was unintentional.

With the Mets' nonstop misfortunes and López DFA'd with his future up in the air, it's hard to imagine this getting worse. And yet, it has. This morning on Boomer and Gio, Boomer Esiason revealed that López was also dealing with issues off the field.

"I can totally understand why you may lose it on the field the way that he did," Esiason said, "and I can also understand now why internally they may have handled it a little bit differently than I would have liked it. So his son, as I understand, is waiting for a transplant. And its a very serious situation and I don't know what's going through this young man's head. All I do know is there was a year where I had to play without knowing what Gunnar was going through and I know exactly how difficult that is to try to balance those two things."

Esiason then wondered if the Mets could have put López on the 15-day DL for a mental health break and brought up the fact that it is Mental Health Awareness Month.

"It does really bring up a very good point," Esiason continued. "Now we can make fun of it because it's the Mets and it's a mess and everything else, but there's something serious going on in this young man's life. And I just wanted to offer an apology with the way that I went about it this morning. It's just not appropriate and I want to wish him and his family the very best and hopefully, he can get the help that he needs."

According to Yahoo!'s Jake Mintz, López's son, Mikael, suffers from Familial Mediterranean Fever, "a condition that causes immense physical discomfort and has required regular hospital visits and multiple transplants." The illness often keeps Mikael from watching his father play and yesterday was his 11th birthday.

If you're still upset with López after reading that, you're the problem. And that's what the Mets need to realize very quickly. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like they did based on this comment from Carlos Mendoza this afternoon.

"We have standards here," Mendoza said, "and I told you guys yesterday that behaviors like that we weren't going to tolerate that. So that's why we made that decision. We addressed it. And now we've got the Diamondbacks here."

López has already established that he was the bad teammate, so you're left with the glove toss being an unforgivable sin. Something so embarrassing to a club that there's no turning back. Keep in mind Bryce Harper destroyed a bat in the middle of a full Phillies dugout the same day that Lopez harmlessly tossed a glove into the stands. How is throwing a glove any worse than anytime a guy has destroyed a water cooler when something didn't go his way?

But that's besides the point. López made a few mistakes and none of them seem unforgivable. Especially when you combine the current vibes surrounding the Mets organization and what must feel like a terrifying and impossible situation at home. Should he be suspended or fined? Sure, he was out of line. But if the Mets turn their backs on him right now, it's irresponsible and wrong.

If the Mets can help this one player who clearly needs it right now then they can't consider this a lost season. No matter what happens on the field.

Boomer Esiason, Carlos Mendoza, Jorge Lopez, New York Mets
0
Jorge López Chucks Glove Into Stands After Ejection During Mets' Latest Meltdown
29 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Jorge López Chucks Glove Into Stands After Ejection During Mets’ Latest Meltdown

There are not many MLB ball clubs going through it right now like the New York Mets.

The Mets, who have lost eight of their last 10 games and are 7–19 in May, were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday. And in the eighth inning of the series finale, reliever Jorge López joined a long list of Mets players to have a meltdown on the field.

López entered the game in the eighth with the Mets trailing 5–3. He was assessed an error on a pickoff attempt gone wrong, and then gave up a two-run double to Miguel Vargas and a two-run homer to Shohei Ohtani.

In the next at-bat, López thought Dodgers slugger Freddie Freeman offered at a pitch. When third base umpire Ramon De Jesus disagreed, López argued the call and was quickly ejected. López continued to shout at De Jesus as he walked off the field and hurled his glove into the stands before disappearing into the dugout.

One lucky fan is going home with quite the souvenir.

"That's where the Mets are at right now," an analyst said on the SNY broadcast.

López, an All-Star is 2022, has hit a rough patch lately, allowing a home run in three straight outings. He hasn't pitched in a Mets win since a 6–5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on May 16.

New York has sunk to 22–32 through 54 games and currently is 15 and 1/2 games behind the first-place Phillies in the NL East. The Mets will continue an 11-game homestand at Citi Field on Thursday with a four-game set against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Jorge Lopez, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, Shohei Ohtani
0
Mets' Brett Baty Hilariously Fell Over an Umpire While Trying to Make a Throw
7 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Mets’ Brett Baty Hilariously Fell Over an Umpire While Trying to Make a Throw

The New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-3, on Monday. The Mets were able to overcome a close call that was upheld on replay and disagreed with on the broadcast as they stopped a three game losing streak. The Mets seemed to be at odds with the umpire crew throughout the game. Just look what happened in the bottom of the first inning when leadoff hitter Jose Fermin bounced one down the line to third baseman Brett Baty.

Baty fielded the ball cleanly and was considering one of those cool jump throws that Derek Jeter used to do all the time, but instead straight ran into third base umpire Doug Eddings. Rather than throw the ball, Baty ate it as he fell on top of a backpedaling Eddings and Fermin ended up safe at first.

There are just some things in life that are satisfying. People falling down without getting hurt is definitely one of them. It's so awkward and funny. Keith Hernandez described it as Edding, "doing the moonwalk," while Gary Cohen compared his moves to the Cha-Cha Slide. Whatever ill-advised wedding dance move you want to reference, it's hard to contain the giggles.

Once everyone finished laughing the game continued with Baty going 0-for-4 at the plate with two strikeouts. Knocking over an umpire was unquestionably the highlight of his day.

Brett Baty, Doug Eddings, Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Umpires
0
Mets Announcers Had Perfect Reactions to Ump's Bad Call in Key Moment
7 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Mets Announcers Had Perfect Reactions to Ump’s Bad Call in Key Moment

The New York Mets were able to overcome a bad call by the umpiring crew in the eighth inning and hold on for a 4-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.

In case you missed it, Mets center fielder Harrison Bader appeared to beat a tag at third base but the ump called him out. New York then challenged the call but the review center didn't overturn it.

Mets announcers Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez are two of the best in the game and they each had perfect reactions after the umpire explained that the call would not be changed.

Fans blasted MLB and the umps:

Cardinals, MLB, New York Mets
0