Who looks most likely to emerge as Mets' third-base solution in second half
Don't miss Mike Puma's text messages from Queens and beyond — he's giving Sports+ subscribers the inside buzz on the Mets. Sign up Now
The Mets have no shortage of third-base options, but do they have a third baseman?
It's a question that last year at this time wasn't as troubling, with Mark Vientos' ascent among the season's significant storylines. Vientos played the position almost every day and helped carry the lineup all the way to Game 6 of the NLCS.
But Vientos has been among this season's biggest disappointments, leading to what has become an open competition for playing time at the position.
Ronny Mauricio and Brett Baty have mostly shared third base with Vientos lately shuffled to DH — where injuries to Starling Marte and Jesse Winker have improved his chances for playing time.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Fox Sports
Last Night in Baseball: Padres Snap Mets' 7-Game Win Streak in Wild W
There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to follow themselves. Don't worry, we're here to help you by figuring out what you missed but shouldn't have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: Padres, Mets go back-and-forth in amazing/upsetting game The Mets entered play on Monday having won seven games in a row, but their series opener against the Padres was a mess. In the best way. Unless you're a Mets fan, anyway — things didn't end well for that side. But the game leading up to that end was something else. Heading into the fifth inning, the two sides were tied up, 1-1, with both starters — Frankie Montas for New York and Dylan Cease for San Diego — getting through the opposing lineups with little issue. Well, Cease can thank Fernando Tatis Jr. for that a bit, since he reeled in a would-be home run in top of the fourth. The fifth is when things fell apart for both sides, however. First up, a Mark Vientos grand slam that scored Brandon Nimmo, Juan Soto and Jeff McNeil, and put the Mets up 5-1. The Padres would answer back immediately. Luis Arraez of all people decided it was time to go yard, and while he had to get an assist from the foul pole for it to happen, that still counts the same, you know. The Mets had the inning all wrapped up and the damage limited to Arraez's two-run shot, until they couldn't quite get the third out at first base on a ball hit to Pete Alonso. Jake Cronenworth ended up with an RBI single and the Padres got another chance at the plate thanks to his legging this one out, and then Bryce Johnson made the most of the opportunity with his own single that scored Xander Bogaerts to tie things up, 5-5. Elias Diaz would add yet another post-Cronenworth RBI single, putting San Diego up 6-5. The Mets would not go quietly, however. Ronny Mauricio tied things up in the top of the ninth with a solo home run off of closer Robert Suarez. Suarez would hold the Mets after that, however, getting Brandon Nimmo to fly out to center and Francisco Lindor to strike out on a foul tip. The Mets would put Gregory Soto on the mound for his second appearance since he was acquired from the Orioles, and it would not go as well as the first. Xander Bogaerts singled to open the inning, then pinch-hitter Jose Iglesias reached on a fielder's choice, while Bogaerts was safe at second due to a throwing error by Soto. Cronenworth attempted to bunt both runners over but got Bogaerts thrown out at third, and then Johnson would strike out, so it seemed that the damage had been avoided. However, it was not to be, as Soto hadn't erased all the damage from his throwing error: Diaz would drive in another run with a single that scored Iglesias, and the Padres snapped the Mets' seven-game win streak. San Diego picked up a game in the wild card standings, while the Mets stood pat in the NL East thanks to the White Sox defeating the Phillies. So hey, not all bad, New York. Hey, it got there Sometimes you see an extremely powerful throw from third base after a tough defensive play, and you're wowed by it. And sometimes, the throw has just enough on it. Lucky for Mariners' third baseman Ben Williamson, both approaches are valid. Before getting into how the Twins walked it off against the Red Sox following a rain delay, it's very important that you know that, on Monday night in the ninth inning, Jhoan Duran faced Jarren Duran. That's right, we got Duran-Duran. Ahem. The Red Sox entered the top of the ninth with the score tied 3-3, but a Roman Anthony single gave them their second lead of the evening. No one could hold back the rain, so the game had to pause to let the storm pass, and when play resumed, the Sox began to come undone. DaShawn Kairsey Jr. singled to lead off the bottom of the inning, then both Mickey Gaspar and Will Castro were hit by pitches, loading the bases with no outs. A force out at home kept the bases loaded but gave the Sox one out, but it was too late (Marlene): Brooks Lee would single home a pair of runners in the next at-bat, and it was ballgame, Twins. Minnesota was clearly hungry for a win. You might even say they were hungry like the wolf. But it's unclear why you would say that. Feels forced. Naylor's 1st Mariners dinger The Mariners traded for Josh Naylor so they could get more offense, and on Monday, that's what they got. Naylor's first homer in a Seattle uniform was his 12th of the year, and it gave the Mariners a 1-0 lead in a game they'd end up winning against the A's, 3-1. A timely shot, but no baseballs were harmed in the making of that homer. Unlike with the next one. Acuna destroyed a baseball Ronald Acuna Jr., 468 feet. Holy smokes. Despite hanging up there forever, Acuna hadn't passed first base by the time it landed. And that's fine. You'd admire a shot like that one, too. Burns was feeling it Reds' rookie starter Chase Burns has struggled a bit since coming to the majors, but you can see stretches of the 22-year-old — who was drafted second-overall just last summer — putting it all together. And it looks incredible when he does, such as on Monday when he struck out five Dodgers' batters in a row. Burns would give up three runs in 5.2 innings, and Cincinnati would lose 5-2, but starts like that one are still encouraging ones. That Reds' rotation is so close to being top-to-bottom nasty. 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 San Diego Padres New York Mets Major League Baseball recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Mets-Pirates Projected Trade Sends Two High-Powered Arms to New York
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 New York Mets have a lot going for them this season, but they need to step on the gas at the trade deadline. New York's lineup has underperformed slightly, and could use a center fielder. But if they're going to exhaust more resources on the deadline, pitching is the more urgent target. The Mets' bullpen in front of closer Edwin Díaz has been overworked, and in late June and early July, that bullpen struggled mightily. The trade for ex-Baltimore Orioles left-hander Gregory Soto was welcome, but more moves can and should be made. MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 30: David Bednar #51 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the Miami Marlins in the ninth inning of the game at loanDepot park on March 30, 2025 in Miami, Florida. MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 30: David Bednar #51 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches against the Miami Marlins in the ninth inning of the game at loanDepot park on March 30, 2025 in Miami, Florida. Photo byMight the Pittsburgh Pirates be interested in a major trade involving six total players? That's what Ryan Finkelstein and Jay Staph of Just Baseball believe is forthcoming. On Sunday, Finkelstein and Staph predicted that the Mets would land Pirates closer David Bednar and setup man Dennis Santana for a package of infielder Ronny Mauricio, center field prospect Nick Morabito, and pitching prospects Jack Wenniger and RJ Gordon. "With Diaz, Bednar, Santana, Raley, Soto, Reed Garrett, Ryne Stanek, and Jose Butto, the Mets bullpen would be absolutely loaded," wrote Finkelstein and Staph. "Prying two arms may prove to be too costly, especially as the Mets will likely want to stay away from the very top of their farm system for relief pitchers. Still, the Mets can offer a package with a combination of arms to replenish their system and bats that can help sooner than later that could entice the Pirates." Bednar broke a two-month streak of not allowing an earned run on Monday night, but still picked up his 17th save of the season. Meanwhile, Santana owns a 1.39 ERA and minuscule 0.84 WHIP in 45 1/3 innings. Parting ways with Mauricio, in particular, is a risky gambit for the Mets. But it's the type of gambit a team in win-now mode has to consider. More MLB: Blue Jays Must Address This 'Urgent' Flaw At Trade Deadline, Says Top MLB Analyst
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mets at Padres prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 29
Its Tuesday, July 29 and the Mets (62-45) are in San Diego to take on the Padres (58-49). Sean Manaea is slated to take the mound for New York against Yu Darvish for San Diego. The Mets' seven-game win streak was snapped last night in the opening game of this series. Elias Diaz drove in the winning run with two outs in the ninth inning for the Padres. Mark Vientos drove in four runs for New York in the loss. Lets dive into Game 2 of the series and find a sweat or two. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch, odds, the first pitch, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long. Game details & how to watch Mets at Padres Date: Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Time: 9:40PM EST Site: Petco Park City: San Diego, CA Network/Streaming: SNY, SDPA, MLBN Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out. Odds for the Mets at the Padres The latest odds as of Tuesday: Moneyline: Mets (-121), Padres (+101) Spread: Mets -1.5 Total: 8.0 runs Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Padres Pitching matchup for July 29, 2025: Sean Manaea vs. Yu Darvish Mets: Sean Manaea (1-1, 2.19 ERA)Last outing: July 23 vs. Angels - 1.80 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts Padres: Yu Darvish (0-3, 9.18 ERA)Last outing: July 24 at St. Louis - 21.60 ERA, 8 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type! Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mets at Padres Yu Darvish has not struck out more than three hitters in any of his last three starts Padres' pitcher Yu Darvish has an ERA of 9.44 and a WHIP of 1.66 The Padres have failed to cover the Run Line in six of their last seven games against the Mets Mark Vientos is enjoying a 7-game hitting streak (8-24) If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Expert picks & predictions for tonight's game between the Mets and the Padres Rotoworld Best Bet Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts. Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Mets and the Padres: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Mets on the Moneyline. Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Diego Padres at +1.5. Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0. Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
