Meet the Mets
Legendary Mets broadcaster Howie Rose announced that the 2026 season will be his last, as he prepares for retirement following several decades of incredible work.
As you’d expect, there were plenty of reactions and statements in the wake of Howie’s announcement.
Mets pitching prospects Jack Wenninger and Jonathan Santucci were the stars of the show in the team’s Spring Breakout game, a 2-0 loss to the Rays’ roster of prospects.
Francisco Alvarez left the Mets’ major league spring training game early
last night because of back tightness.
Having optioned Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A Syracuse yesterday, the Mets plan to play Bo Bichette at shortstop today—his longstanding position before signing with the team—presumably in case he needs to play a little bit of the position as the Mets don’t have a true shortstop on their projected bench.
Mauricio wasn’t the only player cut from big league camp, as pitchers Joey Gerber, Mike Baumann, and Brandon Waddell joined him.
Craig Kimbrel’s contractual out was yesterday, but he wasn’t expected to exercise it as he and the Mets figure out what the Opening Day roster will look like.
Nolan McLean would say yes to pitching in the World Baseball Classic again in the future if he’s invited to do so.
Spekaing of McLean, FanGraphs wrote that he looks unhittable.
Around the National League East
Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar, who was suspended for half of the 2025 season for a positive PED test, will serve a full 162-game suspension this season for his second such positive test, as his appeal did not result in any reduction of the suspension.
Battery Power wonders if it’s time to jump on the Didier Fuentes hype train.
The Phillies are getting closer to finalizing their roster.
Federal Baseball highlights the Nationals’ very tough schedule to start the 2026 season.
Karson Milbrandt struck out six Astros prospects in three innings, a standout performance at the Marlins’ Spring Breakout game.
Around Major League Baseball
Venezuela celebrated its WBC championship with an epic parade in Caracas.
The WBC’s success might lead to a move that puts the competition in the middle of the MLB season rather than before it. That concept would mimic the format used by the best soccer leagues in the world, which regularly take breaks for players to participate in international play.
Trey Yesavage, who starred for the Blue Jays in their ALCS run just a few months ago, will open the season on the injured list with a shoulder impingement.
The Giants announced that Hayden Birdsong will undergo Tommy John surgery.
Here’s how Brent Rooker became an All-Star slugger.
Major League Baseball continued to embrace betting on the sport with a foray into prediction markets, a move that runs counter to its milquetoast efforts to curb pitch-level betting.
Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue
The Mets have 64 seasons under their belt, and Linus Lawrence took the opportunity to make a March Madness bracket featuring each of those teams and having them play through the full tournament in OOTP.
Allison McCague previewed Francisco Lindor’s 2026 season.
This Date in Mets History
On this date in 1961, the Yankees officially announced that the Mets would not be playing their home games at Yankee Stadium, leaving the franchise to play its first two seasons at the Polo Grounds.
