Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter | It is still too early to know who the next GM of the Mets will be, but the team is deep enough in its search process to have a sharper idea of who it won't be, and to put outside-the-box candidates in play.
 
The oft-repeated idea that the Mets are thinking of this search in the binary terms of analytics vs. old school is a bit oversimplified. Several names discussed internally - most notably the agents Casey Close and Brodie Van Wagenen - do not fall in either category. The New York Post's Joel Sherman first suggested that Van Wagenen might be a fit, and we can report the Mets have in fact discussed both him and Close.
 
The two are respected agents, well-spoken with the media and deeply connected in the game. Close was Derek Jeter's longtime agent, among many other clients, and CAA's Van Wagenen reps Jacob deGrom, Yoenis Cespedes and Tim Tebow.

On the latest The Amazin' Life presented by Coca-Cola, Keith and Ron branch out, and take on the rest of the entertainment establishment!

Catherine and her team of scouts and managers pick out a few different prospects for her to go on a date with at Citi Field.

Catch Prospects Tonight on SNY at 6:30PM.

Jeff McNeil went 4-for-5 and Michael Conforto drove in three runs as the Mets beat the Washington Nationals 8-6 on Sunday at Nationals Park in their final road game of the season.

Michael Conforto drove in three runs and Jeff McNeil finished with four hits as the Mets defeated the Nationals, 8-6, in their final road game of the season on Sunday afternoon at Nationals Park.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about today's game...

1) Conforto's bases-loaded triple capped a four-run fourth that put the Mets ahead one inning after they failed to score despite having the bags juiced and nobody out. Jay Bruce's sacrifice fly -- his fifth RBI in three games -- put New York on top on the first. Washington rallied for three runs in the third to take a 3-1 lead off an ineffective Steven Matz. McNeil's RBI single cut the lead to 3-2 and Conforto followed with his first triple of the season to give New York a 5-3 edge.

The Mets (72-83) will wrap up their 2018 road slate in the final game of a four-game series against the Nationals (78-77) in Washington D.C. on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. on WPIX.

Mets notes

The Mets are 6-4 in their last 10 games. They improved to 8-9 in extra-inning games last night as well. ...The Mets are 12-7 in September, the eighth-best win percentage in the league. ...The Mets are ranked fourth in the MLB with a .330 road on-base percentage. ...Nine wins have came against the Nats already this season compared to six all of last season. 

Mets RHP Corey Oswalt allowed two runs in five innings against the Nationals on Saturday in what was his longest outing since Aug. 16.

The only runs allowed came in the bottom of he third when he allowed a two-run homer to Trea Turner. Oswalt has pitched well since allowing five runs on four hits without recording an out against the Dodgers on Sept. 4.

"[Oswalt] has got enough weapons to go out there and compete and he's been doing that for us quite a bit," manager Mickey Callaway said after Saturday's game.

The Mets showed no life on offense and the Nationals went deep twice in a 6-0 shutout on Saturday at Natonals Park.

The Mets mustered just one hit and the Nationals hit two home runs en route to a 6-0 shutout on Saturday at Nationals Park.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about today's game...

1) The Mets drew a pair of walks in the first inning to put a runner in scoring position, but struggled from that forward. Michael Conforto's fourth inning infield single marked the Mets' first and only hit of the game. Conforto was on base three times, as he drew two walks to go along with the team's lone hit. Amed Rosario, Brandon Nimmo, and Todd Frazier each went 0-for-4.

The Mets (72-82) continue their series against the Nationals (77-77) in Washington D.C. on Saturday at 4:05 p.m.

Mets notes

The Mets are 6-4 in their last 10 games... The Mets are 28-19 in their last 47 games and 40-34 since July 1. ... Mets starting pitchers are 8-3 with a 2.86 ERA (38 earned runs/119.2 innings), the second-lowest ERA in the majors this month. ... Jacob DeGrom has a 1.77 ERA and 259 strikeouts and 46 walks this season. Since 1908, only two pitchers have had an ERA of less than 2.00, at least 250 strikeouts and 50 or fewer walks (Christy Mathewson 1908, Pedro Martinez 2000).

What's better than the home team winning? One lucky fan winning big! At every home game this season, if a Mets player hits a home run off the New York Lottery sign over the bullpen, you could win! If it's not hit, don't worry, because if you're the fan of the night you'll still get a $100 gift card. Just click below and hope they knock it out of the park.

There was a lot of noise at the trade deadline about whether or not the Mets should trade Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard. Of course, if those names were on the table, that went for Zack Wheeler, Steven Matz and just about everyone else on the roster would be available, too.

July 31 came and went, and all four starting pitchers are still with the team. The Mets have improved form over the second half of the season and deGrom is a favorite to win the NL Cy Young.

With 20/20 hindsight, Mets assistant GM John Ricco stands behind the team's decision to keep the team's best players.

Mets ace Jacob deGrom managed to make his ERA even lower, while tossing his MLB-record 28th-straight start allowing three runs or fewer on Friday night against the Nationals in Washington D.C.

Meanwhile, Max Scherzer and Aaron Nola saw solid outings in their most recent starts. 

Here's where things stand with deGrom, Scherzer, and Nola in the race for the NL Cy Young award...

Jacob deGrom added another stellar start to his Cy Young resume, as he kept the Nats at bay in a 4-2 win down in Washington D.C. on Friday night.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

Jacob deGrom shut the Nats' bats down, while the offense gave him the cushion he needed to work with in the 4-2 win down in D.C.

The Mets (71-82) continue their series against the Nationals (77-76) in Washington D.C. on Friday at 7:05 p.m. on SNY.

Mets notes

The Mets are 6-4 in their last 10 games. They improved to 8-9 in extra-inning games last night as well. ...The Mets are 12-7 in September, the eighth-best win percentage in the league. ...The Mets are ranked fourth in the MLB with a .330 road on-base percentage. ...Nine wins have came against the Nats already this season compared to six all of last season. 

In April, new Mets manager Mickey Callaway was adored and viewed as terrific. In June, during which the Mets were 5-21 and killed their season, he was labeled a fool. Not surprisingly, with his team 31-27 in the second half, including 12-7 during September, he's back to being revered.

The above is the life of a baseball manager, especially in New York.

I tend to judge managers based on wins and losses. To nitpick specific moves in the moment is a dangerous game because -- despite having access to tendency and predictive stats -- we can never know how the human element and luck factored in to the manager's choice in the moment...

Mets ace Jacob deGrom faces the Nationals on Friday in Washington, D.C. at 7:05 p.m. on SNY as he looks to bolster his Cy Young case.

In advance of his start, here are 10 incredible deGrom stats...

• Leads the majors with a 1.78 ERA and .540 opponent OPS, while his 0.45 HR/9 rate is second in the majors and leads the NL.

17 years ago today, Mike Piazza hit a go-ahead, two run home run in the eighth inning off of Steve Karsay of the Braves to propel the Mets to a 3-2 victory in the first professional sporting event in New York after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

"Anyone who saw it will be happy, anyone who didn't see it will be told about it," Piazza's manager, Bobby Valentine, told reporters from his office after the game...

On the latest episode of Shea Anything, Doug Williams and Andy Martino go all in on the past and future of David Wright, and also play a round of "Agree or Disagree" with some offseason moves that might be coming up quick for the Mets as 2018 winds down.

Don't forget - we want hear from you! Go to SNY.tv/SheaAnything and upload a video or audio clip of your take on the Mets. Keep it to 30 seconds or less, make it good, and you may be on the show!

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

The Mets beat the Nationals 5-4 in extra innings.

Jose Lobaton's sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the 12th inning lifted the Mets past the Nationals, 5-4, on Thursday night at Nationals Park.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

1) New York loaded the bases on a single and two walks in front of Lobaton, who collected his first RBI since April 27 during his first big league plate appearance in more than three months. The Mets led 3-0 in the sixth and 4-2 in the eighth, but Anthony Swarzak allowed a single and a walk to begin the frame. Daniel Zamora battled Bryce Harper for nine pitches before getting him to fly out to the right-field fence, but Robert Gsellman surrendered an RBI groundout to Rendon and game-tying double to Juan Soto. Both runs were charged to Swarzak.

Jacob deGrom's Cy Young competition faced the Mets on Thursday and deGrom didn't get much run support again.

The Mets' ace was watching from the dugout, but, a big performance from the bats could have ended Max Scherzer's Cy Young campaign. But the Nats' ace gave up three runs over seven innings with 13 stirkeouts.

Scherzer was done in by the longball, giving up back-to-back home runs in the third inning. A two-run shot to Michael Conforto then a solo blast by Jay Bruce.

The Mets (70-82) kick off a four-game series against the Nationals (77-75) in Washington D.C. on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. on SNY.

Mets infielder Wilmer Flores has been shut down for the season due to early onset arthritis in both knees, manager Mickey Callaway said Wednesday. 

Flores had been sent back to New York on Wednesday to have pain in his knees examined, with Callaway calling the pain "bilateral" and noting that Flores has been dealing with the issue for a while.

The 27-year-old Flores hit .267/.319/.417 with 11 homers in 126 games this season while getting time at first base, second base, third base, and designated hitter. Flores had been serving mainly as a pinch-hitter since Sept. 8, with just one hit in his last 10 at-bats. 

With his league-leading 1.78 ERA and in the midst of an otherworldly season, Mets ace Jacob deGrom is the favorite to win the Cy Young award.

But Nationals ace Max Scherzer is still visible in deGrom's rearview mirror, and the Mets can likely put an end to any chance Scherzer has by hitting him hard on Thursday night in Washington, D.C. While that might be easier said than done, Scherzer's recent struggles have been glaring.

Scherzer has allowed 17 runs (all earned) over his last 32 innings spanning five starts as his ERA has risen from 2.11 to 2.53.

On Episode 9 of Rain Delay Theater: The Podcast, Steve Gelbs and Wayne Randazzo are joined by Mets pitcher Seth Lugo. The guys hear about Lugo's unconventional path to the major leagues, his unique approach to hitters, and how he's battled through challenging injuries to find success in New York.

Click below to listen...

Near the trade deadline, rumors of the Mets dealing away some of their top-tier starters were swirling around Flushing. And rightfully so considering the Mets weren't ticketed for the postseason. 

Initially, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard were of high interest, but the Mets eventually walked that back. They didn't, however, take Zack Wheeler and Steven Matz off the table. At the end of the day, no trade was ever struck and the rotation stayed how it was. 

Pitching coach Dave Eiland was a happy camper. 

Noah Syndergaard allowed two homers over four innings and the Mets offense mustered six hits in a 4-0 loss to the Phillies on Wednesday night at Citzens Bank Park.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

1) Syndergaard (12-4) was charged with three runs on four hits and three walks while striking out six in four innings.

The Phillies silenced the Mets' bats on Wednesday night, as they took the rubber game 4-0 over New York at Citizens Bank Park.

Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard was brilliant in his last outing against the Red Sox, but he couldn't seem to channel that Wednesday night in Philadelphia. 

Syndergaard saw an early exit after allowing three runs on four hits and three walks, while striking out six over four innings of work. 

It was the long ball that did Thor in. In the bottom of the first, Rhys Hoskins mashed a solo homer to right center field. Then, after working out of trouble in the third, Odubel Herrera crushed a two-run homer to right to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. 

In a dreadful season marked by still more crippling injuries and some awful baseball, the Mets couldn't have imagined finding a winning lottery ticket in the middle of a sidewalk, as if it had somehow fallen right out of the sky.

Yet Jeff McNeil might just be that rare stroke of good luck this franchise desperately needs these days, if he proves to have staying power as a hit-machine second baseman - an unexpected gift from the baseball gods. 

"If anybody says they saw this coming," Mets assistant GM J.P. Ricciardi was saying over the phone, "they're lying. He's been a total surprise."

Actually, McNeil himself begs to differ.

The Mets wrap up their three-game series against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. on SNY.

Due to his workload this season, the Mets are shutting Zack Wheeler down for the year, with Corey Oswalt taking his spot in the rotation.

"We're gonna shut down Zack for the year, given the fact that he's 101 innings over what he pitched last year," Mickey Callaway said Wednesday. "The way he pitched, pitching deep in to games, we're really excited about the year he had. And we feel like we'd probably be taking the best care of him we can if we shut him down at this point."

Callaway had hinted on Monday before Wheeler's start the the team was considering ending his season after that start.

Phillies C Wilson Ramos will be a free agent after this season and I want him to be on the Mets in 2019, when he'll still be just 31 years old.

The Mets are set up to again have a dominant starting rotation next year, with or without Jason Vargas. My hunch is no one from the current group will be traded, which means Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Steven Matz and the matured and impressive Zack Wheeler will need a veteran catcher capable of taking charge, instilling confidence and providing stability for them behind the plate.

Travis d'Arnaud is not likely to be back until the middle of next season after having Tommy John surgery this past summer. But, let's be honest, even if d'Arnaud is healthy, there is absolutely no guarantee he'll be able to elevate his game to a level that is needed to help the team contend for a playoff spot. I realize there is no guarantee that anyone will remain healthy and productive, but d'Arnaud's track record indicates he's even less of a guarantee than most. My guess is he gets non-tendered anyway, but that's just a hunch...

Gary Cohen reflects on 30 years of broadcasting Mets games, including the memorable celebration after the Mets clinched the 2006 N.L. East.

The Phillies couldn't score against Steven Matz, so they pounced on the Mets' bullpen en route to a 5-2 win at Citizens Bank Park.

Steven Matz homered yet again and pitched five shutout innings, but Jerry Blevins and Drew Smith combined to allow five runs in the sixth inning and the Mets fell to the Phillies on Tuesday night, 5-2.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

1) With his third-inning solo blast, Matz joined Tom Seaver and Ron Darling as the only other Mets pitchers to homer in consecutive starts. His latest home run comes just five days after his first major league home run. Matz struggled with control on the mound Tuesday night, walking five batters, but he never allowed it to cause real damage. He walked five batters but allowed just two hits in five innings.

Mets LHP Steven Matz made an impressive catch in the fifth inning of Tuesday's game against the Phillies.

Mets LHP Steven Matz hit a solo home run in the third inning of Tuesday night's game against the Phillies, marking his second homer in as many starts.

Matz became the third pitcher in Mets history to homer in back-to-back starts -- and the first since Ron Darling completed the feat in 1989. Tom Seaver also hit home runs in consecutive starts.

Matz's blast off Phillies ace Aaron Nola gave the Mets a 1-0 advantage. His home run traveled 362 feet, according to Statcast.

The Mets will play the second game of their three-game series against the Phillies on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. at Citizens Bank Park.

Mets notes

The Mets have posted a .688 winning percentage (11-5) in the month of September, which ranks fourth-best in the majors and first in the NL ... The Mets have now won the season series vs. Philadelphia seven straight years ... The Mets are 44-20 at Citizens Bank Park since 2012 and have hit 31 home runs at the park since last season.

In a poll where BBWAA (Baseball Writers' Association of America) voters were asked who should win the NL Cy Young award, Mets ace Jacob deGrom was the near-unanimous choice.

DeGrom received 30 of 33 first place votes in MLB.com's poll, with Max Scherzer of the Nationals receiving the other three first place votes.

When it came to point total, deGrom received 153, Scherzer received 101, and Aaron Nola of the Phillies received 63.

Mets outfielder Michael Conforto is showing signs that he has picked up where he left off before dislocating his shoulder during the second half of last season.

He's been especially on fire since September 4, hitting .345 with five doubles, six HR and 20 RBI during 12 games and 55 at bats.

"This is the Michael Conforto that everybody wants to see," manager Mickey Callaway said after Monday night's game, during which Conforto had a career-high six RBI...

Mets OF Tim Tebow, whose season ended in July due to a broken hamate bone in his right hand that required surgery, will likely be back in 2019 for more Tebow Time.

"I'd be surprised if he didn't want to continue," assistant GM John Ricco recently said, according to Newsday.

Tebow hit .273/.336/.399 with six HR and 36 RBI in 84 games this season for Double-A Binghamton. On July 11, he served as the Eastern League's designated hitter in the Double-A All-Star Game.

The Mets won their 70th game of the season on Monday night, matching their win total from 2017 -- when they finished 70-92.

Having gone 38-32 since their disastrous 5-21 showing in June, the Mets are 70-80 on the season with 12 games remaining.

But while they have righted the ship, the Mets -- who were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Monday night -- are still in fourth place in the NL East, where they will almost certainly finish the season behind the Braves, Phillies, and Nationals.

The Mets were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Monday after the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Atlanta Braves.

The Cardinals' 11-6 win put the Mets 12 1/2 games back for the second spot in the wild card with 12 games to play.

New York was already eliminated from the NL East race; despite beating the Phillies 9-4, the Mets are 13 games back with 12 games left.

The Mets officially miss the playoffs for the second straight season after reaching the World Series in 2015 and making the wild card in 2016.

Mets RHP Zack Wheeler improved to 9-1 in the second half by pitching seven strong innings in Monday's 9-4 win over the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Wheeler (12-7) struck out four batters and allowed four runs, three hits and three walks in what could have been his final start of the season.

Manager Mickey Callaway said it's possible the team will shut Wheeler down for the rest of the season given his 182 1/3 innings he's logged this year are nearly 100 more than he threw last year and are his most in a season since 2014.

Michael Conforto drove in six runs and Zack Wheeler earned his 12th win of the season as the Mets beat the Phillies 9-4 on Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

Michael Conforto homered and collected a career-high six RBIs as the Mets defeated the Phillies, 9-4, on Monday night at Citizens Bank Park.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

1) Conforto had a two-run single in the fourth, a tie-breaking double in the seventh and a three-run shot in the ninth. It was his fifth multi-RBI effort in 16 games this month during which he's gone deep seven times while driving in a Major League-best 22 runs. Conforto has 15 homers and 45 RBIs in 56 games since the All-Star break.