Latest news with #MikePuma
New York Post
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Red-hot Drew Gilbert may be outfield help Mets are looking for
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free SAN FRANCISCO — As the Mets monitor the market for potential outfield help, Drew Gilbert's stock is rising as an internal option for a major league role. The 24-year-old Gilbert is surging at Triple-A Syracuse, where he delivered two homers on Friday, giving him six for the month. He owns a 1.126 OPS in July. The Mets view Gilbert as a plus defender in center field — team officials were raving about a catch he made Thursday by racing into the gap — but continued offensive success will be the biggest determining factor in whether he's promoted for the stretch run. 'Drew is doing a tremendous job, and I think to his credit he is probably putting himself on the radar a little bit,' president of baseball operations David Stearns said before the Mets' 8-1 win over the Giants at Oracle Park. 'Offensively and defensively, he's taken a step forward I would say over the last month or two.' A left-handed bat, Gilbert could potentially share center field with Tyrone Taylor, allowing Jeff McNeil to move back to second base full time. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS But that would have ramifications in decreasing the at-bats received by players such as Ronny Mauricio and Luisangel Acuña. 'Offensively, he has put it together,' said a talent evaluator who has watched Gilbert throughout the season. 'He controls the strike zone really well and hits the ball plenty hard. They have got to get him to hit the ball up in the air a little bit more, that's all. He's stronger than he looks.' Drew Gilbert, running a drill during sprint training, hit two home runs for Triple-A Syracuse on July 25, 2025. Corey Sipkin for New York Post Gilbert, who arrived in the 2023 trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Astros, missed much of last season with hamstring injuries. Gilbert has remained healthy this season. He owns an .823 OPS with 14 homers in 314 at-bats overall this season. The Mets optioned reliever Alex Carrillo to Triple-A Syracuse and selected lefty José Castillo to the major league roster. Delivering insights on all things Amazin's Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Max Kranick was transferred to the 60-day injured list to create space on the 40-man roster for Castillo. This series against the Giants is the start of a nine-game stretch for the Mets against NL West opponents. The Mets, who face the Padres next week before returning home to play the Giants, are 13-6 against NL West opponents this season. Much of that success stems from a 6-0 record against the Rockies.
New York Post
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
‘That was a crazy time': 10 years later, remembering wild night Wilmer Flores wasn't traded
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free The Mets will be in San Francisco on Friday night, just shy of the 10-year anniversary of the non-trade that helped turn their 2015 season around, the one that involved (or at least almost involved) Wilmer Flores. Flores is now in his 13th year in the majors — and sixth with the Giants — but anyone who was around Queens during their last World Series season remembers the infielder's role in helping get the Mets back to October. Advertisement It started on July 29, 2015, as the Mets were in the process of losing to the Padres at Citi Field and reports surfaced that Flores had been traded to the Brewers — along with Zack Wheeler — in exchange for Carlos Gomez. With the crowd buzzing, word got to Flores that he had been traded by the team he had signed with out of Venezuela in 2007.
New York Post
19-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Mets will have to wait at least another week for Jesse Winker as he gets epidural for back
Access the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Try it free The Mets will be without Jesse Winker at least a while longer. Manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday the DH, on the IL with back inflammation, had an epidural and would be sidelined at least another 7-10 days. Advertisement Winker played in just two games after being out for more than two months with an oblique strain that the Mets said was unrelated to the current back injury. 3 New York Mets outfielder Jesse Winker (3) hits a double during the 8th inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in Queens, NY. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Starling Marte appears to be closer to a return from his right knee bruise, with Mendoza saying Friday the 36-year-old is running at full speed and could be back next week. Advertisement Without their lefty-righty DH combination, Mark Vientos was back in the lineup and went 0-for-4 in an 8-4 loss to the Reds. 'He's gonna play a big role on this team,'' Mendoza said before the game. 'He's too good of a hitter.' The Mets are still waiting for the version of Vientos that hit 27 homers a year ago to reappear. CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND METS STATS Advertisement 'When he's making good swing decisions, he's a really good hitter and we need him,' Mendoza said With Vientos at DH, Ronny Mauricio got another start at third against a lefty. 3 Ronny Mauricio speaks with Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz after stealing second base in the ninth inning. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post 'He impacts the baseball from both sides,'' Mendoza said. 'He has an ability to drive the ball to all fields and like how he controls the strike zone. We know the chase is gonna be there, but the impact is there, as well. We'll continue to give him playing time. Advertisement Max Kranick, out since mid-June, is expected to have Tommy John surgery, Mendoza said. It would be the second time the right-hander will have to undergo the procedure. 'You feel for the guy,'' Mendoza said. 'We saw how important he was the first couple months out of the bullpen. It sucks for him and for us.' 3 Max Kranick is expected to undergo elbow surgery. JASON SZENES/NY POST More relief help could come soon, as José Buttó, out due to an illness, had his rehab assignment transferred to Triple-A Syracuse. And Paul Blackburn is set to start a rehab assignment with the Florida Complex League Mets. Advertisement Francisco Alvarez hit another homer with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, as he continues to play well since being optioned on June 22. Delivering insights on all things Amazin's Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Mendoza said the organization wants the catcher to 'continue to do the same thing,' with his bat and defense showing signs of improvement — but not enough to get back to the majors. 'He's making it hard on us and that's what we want,'' Mendoza said. Advertisement Kodai Senga won't pitch until Monday against the Dodgers, with Mendoza saying they are planning the next 'three or four weeks' and possibly using a sixth starter at some point. 'We're going to continue to monitor those guys,'' Mendoza said of his starters. 'We'll play the long game. We know how important they are for the rotation.' … José Siri won't be back anytime soon, having already missed three months with a left tibia fracture that's been slow to heal. Mendoza said there's no timetable for when the center fielder could begin running again.
New York Post
18-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Who looks most likely to emerge as Mets' third-base solution in second half
Access the Mets beat like never before 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.
New York Post
18-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Mets need more than just the ‘Fab Four' to get things rolling in the second half
Access the Mets beat like never before 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 There was a point in early June when it appeared as if everything had finally coalesced for the Mets. Juan Soto was beginning to resemble the player the Mets thought they were getting for $765 million, Pete Alonso was still delivering many of the big hits, and the pitchers were providing daily gems, whether it was Griffin Canning frustrating opponents with his changeup or Kodai Senga unleashing his ghost fork. It's been a different story since June 13, a stretch in which the Mets are 10-18 but have still managed to stay close to the Phillies in the NL East. Injuries were part of it, with Senga sidelined and Canning lost to a torn Achilles. Tylor Megill was also part of the IL parade. Just as Mets officials had begun answering questions about how they would find spots for excess starting pitchers, they had vacancies to fill.
