New York Mets at Houston Astros: How to watch Juan Soto as a Met on primetime
The Mets stole a generational hitter from their intracity rivals while retaining Pete Alonso and adding Clay Holmes. The vibes are purpler, and the team is indeed worth meeting and greeting. Francisco Lindor finished second in National League MVP voting last year.
The Astros have been baseball's heel for almost a full decade, and they've been exceedingly good at it. Since 2017: two championships, four American League pennants and three additional ALCS berths. We may be at the tail-end of the dynastic run, though. Decorated fixtures Alex Bregman (Boston) and Kyle Tucker (Chicago Cubs) are gone, as are door-slamming closer Ryan Pressly and midseason acquisition Yusei Kikuchi. But Jose Altuve is still here, coming off his seventh Silver Slugger campaign.
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Of course, these interleague teams have a rich history together. The 1986 NLCS ended with a 12-inning classic at Shea Stadium and then a 16-inning Astrodome marathon. Saturday's game is on FOX; the Mets trail only the Dodgers for most national TV broadcasts on their schedule.
Starting pitchers: Griffin Canning (NYM, RHP), Spencer Arrighetti (HOU, RHP)
Players with at least 40 home runs in both jerseys:
Streaming and Betting/Odds links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
(Photo of Juan Soto: Rich Storry / Getty Images)
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Honorable Mentions: Jorge De La Rosa (starting pitcher) Aaron Cook (starting pitcher) Rafael Betancourt (reliever/closer) Justin Morneau (1B) Andres Galarraga (1B) Eric Young Sr. (2B) Trevor Story (SS) Vinny Castilla (DH) Dante Bichette (DH) Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Major League Baseball Colorado Rockies recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Phillies Encouraged to Build Hefty Trade Package for Generational Closer
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Philadelphia Phillies will have their pick of relievers ahead of the trade deadline, but some will cost more than others. Decisions will have to be made on how aggressive the team needs to be, and that will determine how much, if any, success the Phillies have in the postseason. Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report believes the team could target Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase. HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 07: Emmanuel Clase #48 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on July 07, 2025 in Houston, Texas. HOUSTON, TEXAS - JULY 07: Emmanuel Clase #48 of the Cleveland Guardians pitches in the ninth inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park on July 07, 2025 in Houston, Texas."Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians would fit that bill about as well as anyone," wrote Kelly. "He won the Mariano Rivera Award as the best reliever in the AL last season, and after a slow start to 2025, he's got a 1.33 ERA over his 27 innings of work." Here is the full trade breakdown: Phillies acquire: RHP Emmanuel Clase Guardians acquire: RHP Mick Abel, SS Aidan Miller (Phillies No. 2 prospect), RHP Jean Cabrera (Phillies No. 12 prospect) The Phillies have reportedly mentioned top prospect Andrew Painter as being the only true untouchable, but this deal would show a sense of urgency to win. "Shortstop Aidan Miller -- currently MLB Pipeline's No. 22 prospect in baseball -- could headline this trade," wrote Kelly. "If the Guardians got a package that included Miller, RHP Mick Abel and pitching prospect Jean Cabrera, that would be a fair deal for both sides. This would represent the biggest deal between Philadelphia and Cleveland since the July 2009 Cliff Lee trade." Clase has a few years of team control remaining, so the Phillies would go into any trade talks knowing a package like this would be necessary. However, that doesn't mean it's not a huge risk for them to take. More MLB: Rental Infielders 'Better Target' for Yankees Due to D.J. LeMahieu Contract
