For the past week, the talk of New York has been that the Mets have been “super aggressive” in their attempt to land former New York Yankee and MLB’s top free agent Juan Soto in a Mets uniform by Opening Day 2025. It has been confirmed that Mets owner Steve Cohen has offered up almost $200 million to free agents and contract finalizations, creating the conditions to give Soto and his agent Scott Boras what he wants in order to bring him to Citi Field.
The question is how far will Cohen and Stearns go to get Soto? Rumor is that NL MVP finalist Francisco Lindor flew to Los Angeles on Sunday, just a few days after it was reported that Cohen, Soto and Boras are scheduled to have a meeting in L.A. about the 2025 season and beyond with the Mets.
See what Lindor has to say about the reason for his trip to L.A. and if he plans to meet with Cohen, Soto and Boras HERE
Lindor said that he wishes “nothing but the best” for the Yankees slugger and added, “I hope he makes the best decision for himself and his family.”
Lindor maybe the key in Soto’s final decision, being that he is being courted by several other organizations including the Dodgers, Red Sox, Blue Jays and Giants while even the Bombers have stated they’d love to have #22 baxck again next season.
It has been estimated that Soto’s final contract could range from $600-700 million over the next 12 to 14 years.
No one would’ve thought back on June 1st, the day that the New York Mets retired baseball legend Darryl Strawberry’s No. 18 jersey in Citi Field and subsequently fell to the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-5, that the team that was still six games behind the NL East division-leading Phillies would be battling for a spot in the 2024 World Series. Doubters thought that they wouldn’t get past the Braves and was absolutely sure that they couldn’t beat the Brewers, but the Kings from Queens have written nothing short of a fairy tale in the month of October. In an uphill battle set in Dodger Stadium today(October 20) with Los Angeles leading the NLCS 3-2, the stage is set for the Mets’ comeback ability, which has been nothing short of miraculous this postseason. Citi Field has become the epicenter of this beyond believable energy and The Source had a chance to capture this postseason excitement only available in Queens.
Before Game 4’s ceremonial first pitch throw by Mets pitching great Matt Harvey to former Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, The Temptations, yes, the Grammy Award winning singing group, opened up with their epic ballad “My Girl”, to which the capacity crowd of Mets fans sang along. This has become a ritual of sorts at home games as “My Girl” is also the walk up song for their star shortstop Francisco Lindor. Music is just as important as jaw dropping plays on the diamond in keeping the fans on their feet in Citi Field and having in-house DJs raised in the birthplace of Hip Hop keeps the stadium on tilt unlike any other ballpark in baseball.
Queens native DJ Lomo, dipped in exclusive Mets swag and flanked by his toddler son in the DJ booth situated on the Field Level mezzanine, dons his headphones before testing his Serato to warm up with House Of Pain’s hype-the-crowd classic “Jump Around”. When asked about his tenure with the Mets, Lomo replied, “It’s been amazing, man. From the beginning, its been a dream of mine to play in sports as a DJ. I did the first one two years ago and it’s been a wrap ever since.” Lomo, whose been on the wheels for almost two decades, has spun on the airwaves at NYC’s Hot97 and says he was influenced to become a DJ by the likes of Funkmaster Flex, DJ Camilo, DJ Enuff and the legendary DJ Jazzy Jeff. Now, that’s Hip Hop.
Wherever there’s music, you’re bound to have people dancing and at Citi Field, you have everyone from the cool two-steppers to the all out movers and shakers, which brings up to The Queens Crew. Headed by the director and head coach Gina Capelli, TQC has already created a fanbase of their own in their inaugural season with their uptempo, synchronized dance moves, something that was virtually unheard of in Major League Baseball until now. “What an inaugural year it has been! We’re a team of 19, but there’s usually 10 to 15 dancers per game. We’re just here to bring the hype. When the music is on, we are up dancing and we want everybody up dancing with us!”, says Capelli. When asked about the Mets’ possibility of going to the World Series, Capelli replied, “Its an absolute dream. We did not expect this. We are here for the moment, but we’re ready to go to the end.” By the end, of course, Gina means the Mets’ chance to battle in a World Series/Subway Series against the 28-time World Series Champs, the New York Yankees.
Tucked away in a small broadcast room right below the stadium’s upper deck sits the audio engineers of Citi Field, which is where we found the one and only DJ Razor. Another one of QB’s finest, Razor gives props to none other that the “Propmaster” himself, DJ Red Alert, for inspiring him to get behind the turntables. He reminisced about being about to see Shea Stadium from his Jackson Heights home as a kid and after getting in the door for making a song about the Metropolitans, he feels almost obligated to move the crowd. Rocking an official black Mets jersey just like the players, Razor has his name as well as his own number(33 1/3) on the back. He is the Mets official DJ and the way he handles each hit, homer, strikeout and even errors with such audible precision you can tell that this guy isn’t new to revving up massive crowds. Behind Razor sits a guy on an electronic keyboard that played the traditional baseball sound effects, but Razor’s view as well as his 1s and 2s were front and center to every single pitch of the game.
Arguably, there hasn’t been another MLB team in history that has their own in-house, Hip Hop DJs, 20-person dance troupe, McDonald’s-inspired mascot with his own purple seat, but their own anthem? Only in New York. The Mets officially adopted “OMG” this June and was created by the Mets’ second baseman Jose Iglesias last year during the offseason. OMG, which has now earned over 2 million on-demand audio and video streams in the U.S. through Oct. 10, has spawned the OMG sign frenzy that can be seen throughout the park, in the stands and on the field. When I asked Razor how OMG initially became the anthem, he said, “That was actually the players because the players were like, ‘you know what? We’re gonna use that for home runs’ and I used it, but I still switched it up. They wanted to stick with that one song and now we’re rolling with it.”
With Game 6 in L.A. being a must win, the energy that helped them in their 12-6 win over the Dodgers on Friday at home will be necessary tonight to stay in the fight for the World Series. All of the energy from the DJs, the dance crew, “Just The Man”, the 7 Line gang, “The Rizzler” and even Glizzy Izzy needs to be activated for the magic to happen for the Amazins tonight.
Before the start of the doubleheader at Truist Park against the Atlanta Braves, the Mets knew one thing; all they needed to win was ONE game to clinch a playoff spot. Both teams knew that whoever won the first game would have an advantage since they will have already planted their flag in the playoffs. Well, the Amazin’ Mets did not have any intention of losing game 161 of their regular season, edging the Braves 8-7, scoring their eight runs in the last two innings of the game and securing their Wild Card berth. Atlanta clapped back in Game 2, shutting out the Mets 3-0 and securing their Wild Card berth as well.
The 89th win of the year by the skin of their teeth is right on time for a team that was 11 games under .500 before June. The Mets seemed to be losing their grip on a playoff berth when Mets MVP Francisco Lindor was benched for a back injury, but he was in the lineup at the right time in Game 1, blasting a two-run shot off Pierce Johnson in the ninth inning. Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies almost foiled the spoil for the Mets in the eighth, belting a two-bagger with the bases loaded off Maton.
The Braves had no plans of being swept at home to cap the regular season, jumping in the lead in the first inning. The Braves didn’t allow the Mets to score one run thanks to Grant Holmes who posted up 4Ks on the mound for Atlanta in four innings and RHP Daysbel Hernandez, who took the win.
Below is the updated bracket for MLB postseason
The Mets will be back in Milwaukee to play the Brewers while the Braves will fly to San Diego to take on the Padres this week.
As the New York Mets gear up for their final homestand of the 2024 regular season, the team has announced the installation of a commemorative purple seat to honor beloved McDonald’s character, Grimace. This tribute celebrates Grimace’s unique connection to die-hard Mets fans, which began after his memorable first pitch on June 12.
“It’s been great to see how our fanbase created the Grimace phenomenon following his first pitch in June and in the months since,” said Mets SVP of Partnerships Brenden Mallette. “As we explored how to further capture the magic of this moment and celebrate our new celebrity fan, installing a commemorative seat ahead of fan appreciation weekend felt like the perfect way to give something back to the fans in a fun and unique way. This enables our fans to be a part of the Grimace fun, while enjoying a game at Citi Field.”
Following Grimace’s appearance, the Mets embarked on a seven-game win streak, sparking fan affection for the character, who has since become a symbol of good luck during the team’s exciting season.
The commemorative purple seat, located in section 302, row 6, seat 12, will be available for purchase during all remaining home games this season. It adds a fun and meaningful touch to the Mets’ final homestand, which also features a fan appreciation weekend from September 20-22.
Tickets for the remaining games at Citi Field are on sale now and can be purchased online at Mets.com/Tickets or by calling 718-507-TIXX.
The Mets are remaining optimistic going into their seven-game homestead against the Phillies and the Nationals after a nail biting loss against Philadelphia during the same game that Francisco Lindor was taken out due to an ongoing back injury. According to Lindor himself, he might be on the bench for what “could be three to five days” at the most crucial point in the Mets’ season.
Even though the prognosis of the 30-year-old shortstop isn’t deemed “too serious”, Lindor underwent MRI imaging after being taken out of Sunday’s game to determine the damage done to his lower back. Even though the results show no structural damage to his back, Lindor was left out of Monday’s lineup against Washington, with second baseman Jose Iglesias moving over to shortstop and taking Lindor’s leadoff spot in the batting order.
“I still have a little bit of pain, but we had good news,” Lindor said. “Everything seems like it’s good, it could be three to five days, or it could be two to three — depends on how my back reacts.”
He added, “I felt fine, I felt good — it wasn’t like a freak accident where I reinjured it. It just got tight on me. I just felt like I could play through it. And the next thing you know, I didn’t feel comfortable enough to stay on the field. When I can’t stay on the field to do what I love most, which is play defense, that’s when I said something. When I was a little timid on the ground balls.”
Team doctors agree that Lindo doesn’t need an injection in his back, so Lindor is hoping to be back before the end of the regular season.
“Honestly, relief. Really good news,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “… I think we got the best news. Like [Lindor] said, it could be three to five [days], two to three, who knows? But the hope is that he’ll be a player for us before the year is over. So, I was expecting the worst to be honest.”
Recruited recently from Syracuse AAA-affiliate, Luisangel Acuna will be interchanging with Iglesias at shortstop until Lindor’s return. As Mets’ “ironman”, Lindor playing in all games of the regular season until today(September 16) has positively impacted the Mets’ chances at a Wild Card spot. With a three-game series ahead of New York vs. the Nationals followed by four games against Philly, the Mets’ postseason future will be determined this week at Citi Field.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza might really be re-thinking his choice of pitchers over the weekend against the Phillies as Bryce Harper and the Phillies take the last two of the three-game series, severely jeopardizing the Mets’ chances of an NL Wild Card berth.
The Amazins came into Philadelphia on Friday with everything in their favor; they were one game ahead of the Braves in the NL Wild Card race with a 8-2 record in their last 10 games and no one knew about superstr shortstop Francisco Lindor’s impending back injury. Fast forward to Sunday evening and the Mets are a half game behind Atlanta, risking their spot in the Wild Card, which now heavily depends on how the Braves do against the Dodgers on their home turf in Truist Park tonight(September 15).
On Friday, New York embarrassed the Phils, beating them 11-3, headed off by three 3-run HRs from Alvarez, Nimmo and Bader and a solo shot from first baseman Pete Alonso in the top of the ninth to seal the slaughter. Jose Quintana took control of the mound in the Mets’ first outing against Philly, shutting down four batters and only giving up three hits in seven frames. The Phillies got all their runs in one shot from Brandon Marsh, who blasted a three-run shot off Alex Young in the bottom of the ninth.
Maybe it was the superstition of Friday the 13th that moved the Mets up to the third spot in the NL East, just eight games behind the division leading Phils, but equally as esoteric, Lindor’s back injury had him pulled in the 7th inning, obviously raising questions about the team’s now unstable playoff position. In the second game of the series and the first game that the NL MVP candidate has missed in the past three seasons, the Phillies took the Mets down 6-4, with Bryce Harper banging two homers off Mets right hander Luis Severino in the 4th and 6th innings. Mendoza sent Young back to the mound for New York for only one out and gave up two hits and two runs, even after giving up three runs in one inning . Mets fans had hope on Sunday as Lindor returned to the lineup as the lead off batter, but was swiftly withdrawn from the game in the second inning. The Phillies edged the Mets 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth with a single from J.T Realmuto off Edwin Diaz, who replaced Phil Maton in the last inning.
With the Mets striking out at the plate more than the Phils in all three games, it may not just be pitching thats failing the Mets. The Mets seem to be hinging on Lindor’s uncertain return to the lineup, but the follow through from players like Nimmo and Alonso is needed, but isn’t happening. The Mets will also be missing RHP Paul Blackburn during this crucial point in the season after he was cleared for his hand injury just two weeks ago, but placed back on IL for a spinal fluid leak in his back yesterday(September 14).
Will the Mets maintain their position as the best team in MLB since the All Star break or will the combination of injuries, pitchers and fallen stars cost the Mets their chance at the pennant?
Ever since the Baseball Writers Association of America started casting votes for the Kenesaw Landis AL/NL Most Valuable Player Awards in 1931, the same city has claimed the coveted titles only 12 times, with New York players taking it home over half of those occasions. In 2024, for the first time in almost 70 years, NYC could possibly gloat about having both of the best baseball players in Major League Baseball.
The Big Apple hasn’t welcomed both MVPs home since 1956 when Mickey Mantle won MVP for the AL and Dodgers’ Don Newcombe brought it back to Brooklyn. Only a year prior, Yanks HOF catcher Yogi Berra took the American League trophy. At the same time, Brooklyn’s Roy Campanella won the NL MVP in his last season before he was left paralyzed after a tragic car accident. In ’54, it was Yogi Berra again. Willie Mays (Giants), Berra and Campanella took their first MVPs twin titles in 1951, Joe DiMaggio and Dolph Camilli of the Dodgers won both MVPs a decade earlier(1941), while the Yankees legend Lou Gehrig and NY Giants’ Carl Hubbell were the first to bring both AL and NL Most Valuable Player titles back to NYC in 1936. Lindor and Judge may just have the magic to make it happen here once again.
No one can ignore the wave that the Mets have been riding, given their eight-game winning streak, which locked in their Wild Card spot and those feats would have been unattainable without superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor and his red hot appearances at the plate. The 30-year-old belted nine of his 31 HRs of this season were in those last eight outings, including two in the same game against the Padres with one of those dingers being a grand slam. As the Mets’ ironman, Lindor has not missed a game this season and only missed three games since suffering an oblique injury during his rookie season in 2021. Sure to surpass 30 stolen bags before the end of September, there’s no question why Lindor is a close second in the NL MVP rankings., this year.
Bronx Bombers’ right fielder Aaron Judge has posted unequaled stats this season while helping the Yanks lead the helm in the AL East, including the most home runs in MLB(51), only to be trailed by the number one NL MVP contender, Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani. #99 has the 3rd highest batting average in the league(.319), only behind Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., who have played more games and had more plate appearances than Judge in 2024. Judge also leads the league in RBIs(126), forcing teams to deliberately attempt to keep him from making contact with the ball, which is why he also leads the league in walks.
As with anything in baseball and life, there is no such thing as a sure thing. Many critics believe that Lindor batting under .300 is a no for an MVP. However, despite the entire baseball world watching Ohtani on his road to 50/50, Lindor’s only MVP competition still hasn’t broken the .300 mark either. Even Judge, with his phenomenal hitting feats, still ties Oakland’s Brent Rooker with the most Ks in the league(156). Additionally, Judge’s bat has been going cold lately, with no HRs in his last 13 games since the Home Run Derby, which has the Yankees’ record split 13-12 in their last 25 games.
The Empire State definitely represents in Major League Baseball, as both Players of the Week come from New York teams. The players who were voted as the best of the American and National Leagues should be no surprise to real baseball fans.
Aaron Judge and Francisco Lindor have been named as the American League and National League’s Players of the Week in the last full week of August, which leaves a little more than a month before the Pennant races begin in late September. Judge and the Yankees faced the Detroit Tigers, the Cleveland Guardians, and the Colorado Rockies last week, while the Amazins took on the Orioles and the San Diego Padres. The Mets broke even in their series against San Diego, edging the Padres by one run in both wins, while the Bronx Bombers beat the Rockies 2-1 in their 3-game series and the same results against the O’s.
Individually, both Lindor and Judge have put up phenomenal stats that would easily put them in the MVP conversation of either league. The 6X All-Star maintained a whopping .381 BA this week, with seven homers and 11 RBIs. Mets’ superstar shortstop boasted a .345 batting average last week, with four doubles, 3 HRs, and six RBIs.
This week, the Mets have to take on the NL West’s second-place Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox, who currently have the worst win-loss record in MLB. The Bombers have a three-game series against the Washington Nationals, with the Yanks already ahead after yesterday’s 5-2 victory. This weekend, the Yankees begin their series against the NL Central’s third-place Cards.
After the special guest appearance of McDonald’s character Grimace earning them the name “GriMets”, who would’ve thought that the Amazins’ could come up with another viral sensation on the baseball field? Well, the Mets have introduced another unconventional personality that is totally unrelated to baseball. Sort of.
Hailey Welch, the real life spitballer who went viral for her “Hawk Tuah” comment about oral sex, took the mound at Citi Field to throw out the first pitch for the Mets game against the Oakland A’s yesterday.
The 22-year-old Tennessee native rose to fame on social media when a street interview of her saying “hawk tuah” to describe oral sex went viral.
Mets fans and critics alike were confused as to why the Mets chose Welch to throw out the first pitch, but it must have been abad look for the Mets, who lost to the AL West last place A’s 7-6.
Adversity seems to be the key motivating factor in the career-high comeback that Sterling Marte hass made this season and while the Amazins are on fire, winning six of their last seven games, their on fire right fielder has reached. an MLB milestone that seems to be unattainable for any else in the league.
Marte had a rough time after coming off the IL in 2023, but has accomplished a very rare career milestone when he stole the 350th base of his career, making him the only active player in baseball to reach this feat. Marte is no. 112 on the all-time list of base stealers, and no current MLB player is close to catching him.
Check out Marte grab his 350th stolen base of his career against the Padres HERE
The 35-year-old’s first season in 2022 was of All-Star pedigree, but after missing close to a month of action for a fractured middle finger in early September, Marte only managed to grab 18 bags that season. Last year, he appeared in 86 games, mainly due to double groin surgery, but still was able to rack up 24 stolen bases Already in 2024 the red hot Met has 12 SBs in 61 games, while he boasts .391/.440/.630 at the plate with a 1.030 OPS, two HRs and 10 RBIs in his last 15 games. In the past week, Sterling has kept himself on base, hitting .440 with a 1.180 OPS.
As for the team, the Mets are 10-4 in their last 14 games, won 8 of their last 10 and have climbed back to a record of 32-37, just two GB for the final Wild Card spot in the NL. Are the Mets a potential post season team this season? Of course. With Edwin Diaz and Francisco Alvarez back from the IL and Marte along with J.D. Martinez keeping the ball in play, the Mets have a shot at the NL Wild Card. Like the New York Lottery saying goes, you never know.
