The Mets opened the day with more frustration at the plate, getting blanked for the ninth time this season in a 4-0 loss to the Red Sox at Citi Field. Boston did its damage with a pair of two-run homers, and for the second straight day New York came up empty when it had chances with runners on.
Today’s series finale brings a new arm into the picture. Zach Thornton will be called up to pitch, though the Mets have not said whether he’ll start or work in bulk relief.
There’s also a health update on Bo Bichette, who is dealing with lower body soreness and has missed the last couple of games. Manager Andy Green said he’ll use the All-Star break to reset and rest.
On the draft front, the Mets added Carson Wiggins with the 27th overall pick yesterday. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com profiled the hard-throwing right-hander, noting that Wiggins has not logged many college innings because of Tommy John surgery. The Mets Player Development Twitter account also posted video analysis of third-round pick Aiden Robbins and fourth-round pick Shane Sdao.
The club also moved on from two right-handed relievers it had designated for assignment. Alex Carrillo was released, while Matt Seelinger was outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse.
Marcus Semien, working back from a left hip flexor strain, is ready to start a rehab assignment, although that may not happen until after the All-Star break.
And Joel Sherman of the New York Post wrote that the Mets should make every reliever available in trade.
Around the division, the Yankees used three eighth-inning home runs to storm back and beat the Nationals 4-2. Foster Griffin, after three years in Japan, is now an All-Star with Washington.
Cristopher Sánchez kept rolling for the Phillies, striking out seven in a 4-2 win over the Tigers and strengthening his case to start the All-Star Game in Philadelphia. Zack Wheeler was asked to join the All-Star Game as an injury replacement, but declined after feeling disrespected to be the fifth choice.
The Marlins fell 4-1 to the Guardians, who piled up 11 hits against Miami pitching. The Braves also lost 4-1, with Lars Nootbaar jumping on Reynaldo López for a three-run homer in the first. Atlanta pitcher AJ Smith-Shawver, rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, will need at least one more rehab outing after a rough appearance Saturday with Triple-A Gwinnett.
Around the league, MLB Draft coverage is spread across MLB.com, Baseball Prospectus, Baseball America, and Fangraphs, with MLB.com recapping the big Day 1 storylines. Michael Baumann of Fangraphs argued the draft remains a niche obsession for diehards and sickos, and the league still hasn’t figured out how to make it matter to a wider audience.
There was also a notable broadcast moment in Toronto, where Madison Shipman made her debut as an analyst in the Blue Jays booth and became the first woman to work a Blue Jays game on Sportsnet. In another roster move, White Sox outfielder Tristan Peters was selected to the American League All-Star roster to replace the injured Nick Kurtz. Jacob Misiorowski was scratched from his scheduled start today because of arm fatigue and will also miss the All-Star Game.
In Other News...
Phillies Just Put One Mets Trade Deadline Dream In Jeopardy
As the trade deadline approaches, the Mets are still sorting through the same kind of big-name possibilities that always seem to surface this time of year, and Luis Robert Jr. has been part of that conversation because of his talent and the way he could fit into a reshaped roster. But any path to landing him has always come with complications, from his contract situation to the kind of financial commitment a move like that would require, which is why every new development around other clubs matters so much.
Philadelphia may have just changed the equation. By quietly adding Derek Hill, the Phillies appear to have addressed part of their center-field need, and that could make Robert a far less obvious fit for a division rival the Mets were already watching closely. For New York, it is another reminder that deadline ideas can shift fast, and that the front office may have to weigh not just who is available, but which targets still make sense once the market starts moving. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Draft Target Brings The Kind Of Risk Fans Fear Most
Carson Wiggins has the kind of arm that keeps scouts interested and medical staffs busy. The right-handed pitching prospect out of Roland High School and Arkansas was on the radar for his stuff long before the 2026 MLB Draft Combine, and even after an elbow injury in 2025 and UCL internal brace surgery, he still made it to the combine as one of the more intriguing names in the class. For a team like the Mets, who are always weighing upside against durability, he fits the familiar draft debate: talent you can dream on, with a track record that makes the decision anything but simple.
The financial side adds another layer, since Wiggins is already protected by a draft slot floor tied to the 27th pick, and there is still a path back to Arkansas if he and the Mets cannot come to terms. That leaves his situation in a familiar but uncomfortable place for clubs that like to gamble on pitching. The arm talent is obvious enough to keep him in the conversation, but the question now is how much risk a team is willing to absorb to get it. [Read more 🡒]
Ryan Clifford Just Put More Weight On A Huge Mets Question
Ryan Clifford got a little extra spotlight at the All-Star Futures Game, where the Mets prospect handled first base for three innings and worked a six-pitch walk in his lone plate appearance. It was a small moment on a showcase stage, but one that still mattered for a player whose path to Queens has been watched closely since the Mets brought him over in the Justin Verlander deal.
The bigger issue is what Cliffords profile still looks like as he keeps climbing. Hes sitting at .196/.283/.395 with 16 home runs and 129 strikeouts, a line that shows the power the Mets covet but also the contact issues that make his next step harder to project. Even in Philadelphia, where fans booed him as he stepped in, Clifford offered a reminder that his bat will keep drawing attention for reasons both encouraging and uneasy. [Read more 🡒]