The New York Mets continue to set the baseball world ablaze. Yoenis Cespedes played a part in the festivities Wednesday night.
Unless you’ve been stranded on a deserted island for the past few weeks, you’re well aware that the New York Mets—yes, those New York Mets—might just be the best team in baseball. Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes added an exclamation point to that on Wednesday.
The Mets entered the bottom of the eighth inning trailing the Washington Nationals 4-2. By the time Cespedes stepped to the plate, the bases were loaded and the Mets had taken a 7-4 lead.
He proceeded to do this:
Sometimes you have to admire your work. #PapaSlam pic.twitter.com/apaKCnN8rf
— MLB (@MLB) April 19, 2018
That grand slam not only gave the Mets a commanding 11-4 lead, but it put Yo in some rarefied air in the Mets record books.
Mike Piazza has 6 grand slams for the Mets
Robin Ventura, Carlos Beltrán, Howard Johnson, John Milner, Kevin McReynolds and Yoenis Céspedes have 5
— Mark Simon (@MarkASimonSays) April 19, 2018
For those wondering, Darryl Strawberry, arguably the greatest pure power hitter in franchise history, hit four grand slams in his Mets career.
Anthony Swarzak Not Close To Coming Back
Anthony Swarzak, who has been working his way back from a strained oblique, had to put his rehab on hold Wednesday.
“I still feel optimistic,” Swarzak, who injured himself in a March 31 game against the Cardinals, told MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. “I still want it to be a short amount of time. It just isn’t going to be as short as I would like it. My body will tell me when I’m ready, and right now I’m not ready.”
Swarzak, 32, signed a two-year, $14 million deal with the Mets this past offseason. He made just two appearances for the Mets before heading to the disabled list, allowing one hit—a solo home run to Cardinals All-Star Matt Carpenter—over 2.1 innings of relief.
“I think they just decided that it would be better for him to continue to get treatment than kind of going ahead and throwing,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “He’s going to stay here for a few more days, then figure out exactly when he’s going to down to Florida and start really getting after it.”
The Mets bullpen hasn’t struggled without the veteran’s services, so there’s no reason to rush him back. That said, a healthy Swarzak is only going to the make the team’s bullpen that much stronger.
Mets Add More Pitching Depth
Late Wednesday night, MLB.com’s Michael Baron reported that the Mets had reached minor-league deals with a pair of right-handed pitchers, Vance Worley and Scott Copeland.
Official: #Mets sign RHP Vance Worley and RHP Scott Copeland to minor league contracts. They will both report to Extended Spring Training.
— Michael Baron (@michaelgbaron) April 19, 2018
Worley, 30, appeared in 24 games (12 starts) for the Miami Marlins in 2012, going 2-6 with a 6.91 ERA and 1.80 WHIP. His best season came in 2011 with the Philadelphia Phillies, when he went 11-3 with a 3.01 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year Award voting.
Copeland, 30, has spent the bulk of his career in the minors. He did make five appearances (three starts) for the Atlanta Braves in 2015, going 1-1 with a 6.46 ERA and 1.70 WHIP.
If either of these guys winds up toeing the rubber at Citi Field this season, you can rest assured that things have gone very, very wrong for the Mets.
