The calendar has flipped to September which means one thing: MLB rosters have expanded. Fans of the New York Mets, rejoice!
Okay, maybe rejoicing is asking way too much from fans of this franchise on Labor Day weekend. But as Newsday‘s Marc Carig details, a handful of players will be joining the New York Mets in Houston.
We can add Kevin McGowan to that list as well. As for the “mystery outfielder” of whom Carig speaks? It’s not who everyone I hoped it’d be.
Barring a roster move, Wuilmer Becerra is going to get the call. Of the six outfielders on the team’s 40-man roster, he’s the only one who isn’t in the big leagues.
The team’s No. 14 prospect per MLB Pipeline, Becerra has done nothing to earn that promotion. The 22-year-old is hitting just .262 with a .658 OPS for High-A St. Lucie. Then again, the Mets seem to reward mediocrity, so maybe it’s he’s deserving after all.
Relief Pitcher Of The Month—Again
If we looked at Mets minor leaguers the way we look at deep cuts off our favorite band’s albums, Matt Blackham might be one of the deeper cuts we could find. You won’t find his name littering top 10 lists. He wasn’t a high draft pick. He’s just a guy who throws a ball.
A guy who throws a ball really, really well, that is.
The 24-year-old allowed only seven baserunners to reach base in August (five hits, two walks), firing 10.2 scoreless innings of relief while striking out 14.
He hasn’t allowed an earned run since June 27, a stretch that has seen him toss 25.2 scoreless frames with 37 strikeouts. In 40 appearances for Single-A Columbia, Blackham has gone 4-2 with a 1.43 ERA and 0.99 WHIP, whiffing 82 in just 56.2 innings of work.
Other Mets News, Links
- ESNY’s Gregg Cambareri makes the case for the Mets to sign reliever Wade Davis in the offseason.
- ESNY’s Nicholas Santuccio wonders whether Mets fans should be panicked over Michael Conforto’s shoulder injury.