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New York Post
15 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Mets' gutsy Paul Blackburn decision is latest glimpse of David Stearns' vision flourishing
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 What stands out, Jeremy Hefner relates, is how natural the decision felt. The Mets needed an extra starter in the midst of playing 10 straight days to give all the mainstays an extra day's rest, notably Kodai Senga. Paul Blackburn was ready. So Blackburn was inserted to make his 2025 debut Monday night against the highest-scoring team in the majors at Dodger Stadium. Advertisement '[Facing the Dodgers] didn't even come up in the conversation,' said Hefner, the Mets pitching coach. There are many reasons that the Mets, with a 5-3 triumph Sunday over the Bad News Rockies, completed a 7-2 homestand and improved to an MLB-best 24-7 at home and at 37-22 were a season-high 15 games over .500 and were tied for the National League's best record. But it begins at the start.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Ronny Mauricio hits massive homer in quest to return to Mets after injury disaster
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 Ronny Mauricio continues to send reminders that he was a top prospect not all that long ago. The Mets' infielder hit a mammoth home run to right field Thursday with Triple-A Syracuse to continue his blistering showing in the minor leagues in his return from a torn ACL. Advertisement The 24-year-old now has three homers in just 57 minor-league at-bats. Mauricio had long been hyped as a potential starter for the Mets and he showed promise during his 2023 call-up, hitting .292 with an .852 OPS. That momentum, though, came crashing down after he suffered a torn ACL in Dec. 2023 during a Dominican Winter League game and also underwent a procedure to remove scar tissue. Now that he's healthy again, Mauricio is trying to work his way back to Flushing. He's been spending time at second base and third base during his minor-league stint. Advertisement 3 The camera man even lost the ball. @SNY_Mets/X The Mets have Jeff McNeil and Luisangel Acuna at second base, and Brett Baty can play there too, but the road to Queens may not be completely shut. Advertisement McNeil has underwhelmed the last two years, although he's off to a strong start this year. Acuna has cooled off and lost playing time since winning NL Rookie of the Month for April. Any question about Mauricio's readiness, though, is not a pressing once since the team plans to give him time to build back up after one year away. 3 Mauricio moments before homering Thursday. @SNY_Mets/X Mauricio stayed in the minors once his rehab assignment ended, as Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said earlier this month. Advertisement The infielder has appeared in just 17 minor-league games thus far. Thursday's solo homer came in the eighth inning of Syracuse's 12-3 win over Iowa, the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate. He went 2-for-4 with two runs scored while playing second base. 3 Mauricio during spring training. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST 'He's still got a little way to go to get back to being a healthy player, to get back into that true baseball shape, ready to compete at a high level in the big leagues,' Stearns said earlier this month. 'It's continuing to get him at-bats, get him reps in the minor leagues.'
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Brett Baty overhauled his swing — and its paying off for Mets
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 offseason was in its infancy when Brett Baty decided it was time to go back to work. The Mets had been knocked out of the postseason by the Dodgers, and Baty was back home in Texas in October, which was 'really early for a pro hitter to start thinking about hitting,' said Aaron Capista, who would become his personal hitting coach. Baty was coming off another disappointing season, the high-ceilinged prospect losing his everyday third base job in May and spending most of his June and all of his July, August and September with Triple-A Syracuse. Despite unique ability and excellent minor league numbers, he owned a .607 OPS across his first 169 major league games. After the Mets' NLCS defeat, Baty's agent, Ryan Ware — who had heard about Capista and received strong endorsements — connected Baty to the Austin-based hitting coach. The two had a meeting, hit it off and wasted no time.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
What Jared Young found in Korea that sparked his Mets chance
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 Jared Young's baseball career reached a crossroads last summer, nudging him toward the road — or in this case, ocean — less traveled. Then a player for the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate in Memphis, Tenn., the utilityman was told by the organization that a major league job wasn't forthcoming. Young needed to decide between staying the final two months of the season or heading to Seoul, South Korea, where he had an offer to play for the Doosan Bears of the KBO. Young took the Korean offer. It's a decision he credits for revitalizing his career. 'I had an opportunity in Korea, and I thought going there and playing well instead of playing more in the minors would springboard me a little better, so I made the decision,' Young told Sports+ this week.
New York Post
7 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
The Mets need to have one ruthless goal against MLB's bottom-dwellers
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 This should be the equivalent of homecoming week for the Mets. They did not get to dictate who is on their schedule between Memorial Day and Sunday, but these would be the patsies they would have picked — the two worst teams in the majors. Six games against the White Sox and Rockies at Citi Field should be akin to Western Kentucky showing up on a Saturday in Tuscaloosa. If MLB had relegation, Chicago and Colorado would be in Double-A. So when they arrive on your doorstep, the job is to blend merciless with ruthless and stomp the flotsam of the sport. Because contenders can be assured that is what their rivals are going to do. The Tigers and Phillies had the majors' best overall records and — not surprisingly — the two best marks against sub-.500 teams.
