The Mets spent part of Thursday remembering a promise made 25 years ago, and that thread ran through much of the day’s news around the organization.
Tyler Kepner wrote about how the Mets have kept their 9/11 promise a quarter-century later, while Mike Lupica reflected on the lasting memory of the lifeline the Mets and Yankees offered New York City after 9/11. Matt Monagan also shared the story of a Mets shirt that was flown from a 9/11 memorial in Ireland.
On the broadcast side, Will Sammon talked with people who shared the booth with Howie Rose to learn what they picked up from the radio voice. And Jon Heyman reported that the Mets’ managerial search could end up being shaped by the Phillies’ World Series chances, with Don Mattingly emerging as a name to watch.
The Mets also made a roster move, releasing Joe Jacques. In the minors, Jonathan Santucci delivered his best Triple-A outing yet and moved back into a share of the Minors K lead.
Elsewhere in the organization, “When America Took the Field,” produced by MLB Network and former Met Todd Zeile, made its debut on MLB Network last night. The two-hour documentary is also available on MLB.tv and MLB+.
Around the National League East, the Braves picked up a 3-1 win over the Rays by scoring three runs in the eighth, a result that helped them widen their edge in the division race. The Phillies dropped a 2-1 game to the Astros, with their chase habits costing them in an untimely series loss to Houston.
Across Major League Baseball, the league will honor the 25th anniversary of September 11th with tributes and services. Jeff Passan offered some early free agency intel, including the belief that Bo Bichette will opt out, though he sees it as a coin flip.
The Dodgers placed Shohei Ohtani on the injured list to rest his left knee and right biceps injuries, and Los Angeles is bringing up top prospect Josue De Paula. The Yankees are putting Jazz Chisholm on the IL and calling up Anthony Volpe.
Mark Feinsand took a look at 11 intriguing trade candidates for the offseason, while Dennis Lin examined how Fernando Tatis Jr. found his swing, something that could matter for the Padres in October. Mike Petriello noted that the Cubs have the best hitting and best defense in baseball, but questioned whether that can make up for their pitching, which remains their biggest weakness.
Brandon Sproat was sent back to Triple-A after allowing four runs in the ninth inning against the Cubs. Salvador Perez is going “ year by year ” with his big league career.
Jacob deGrom looked vintage, striking out 12 across six one-hit innings, but the Mariners rallied past the Rangers 4-3. The Yankees then broke things open with a six-run seventh inning in a 10-3 win over the Rockies to complete a sweep, and Volpe was in the lineup in a return he once wasn’t sure would come.
The Pirates shut out the White Sox 2-0. After being swept by Pittsburgh, the White Sox have seen their AL Central lead shrink to 1.5 games over the surging Guardians and are preparing to fight back.
In Other News...
Mets Yankees Game Took A Disturbing Turn Fans Wont Forget
A Subway Series night at Yankee Stadium already carried unusual weight, landing on the 25th anniversary of September 11. Then the game was interrupted when a fan ran onto the field carrying a Palestinian flag and wearing a No Kings jersey, turning what should have been a routine September matchup into a tense scene in front of a packed crowd.
Security quickly tackled the man, later identified as 38-year-old Kelly Marcucci, and he was charged with trespassing and a local ordinance violation. The delay was brief, but the moment lingered after play resumed, with the crowd reacting in chants as the game moved on. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Spent This Rivalry Night Chasing An Early Mistake
The Mets spent a rivalry night trying to climb out of an early hole in the Bronx, with the Yankees building their edge behind a steady start from Carlos Rodn and a rough outing from Nolan McLean. On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the game had the kind of back-and-forth feel that can turn tense quickly, but New Yorks side of the scoreboard was chasing from the start after McLean was tagged for five runs over five innings.
A late push gave the Mets a chance to make things interesting, and they kept pressing against their crosstown rival deep into the game. Still, the deficit they created early proved too much to erase in a 6-4 loss, another reminder that against the Yankees, one bad stretch can shape the whole night even when the closing moments offer a flicker of life. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Face A Costly Clay Holmes Question All Over Again
Clay Holmes is back in the kind of free-agent conversation that can make a front office pause. Spotrac pegs the relievers market at roughly $22.9 million a year, with a deal that could climb into the $68 million to $70 million range over three years, and that price tag naturally forces the Mets to weigh how much they want to commit to a pitcher who could help in more than one role. The appeal is obvious: Holmes would give New York another arm to consider for the bullpen or even the starting rotation, which adds flexibility to a staff that still needs quality innings.
The financial picture may get even trickier depending on how the next collective bargaining agreement shapes the market, since timing can move free-agent salaries in either direction. For the Mets, the question is not simply whether Holmes fits, but whether he fits as part of a larger pitching plan that might also include other additions. Sean Manaea and Tarik Skubal enter the broader conversation as benchmarks for value and impact, but Holmes remains the name that could force New York to decide how aggressively it wants to buy stability on the mound. [Read more 🡒]