The Mets defeated the Rockies 6-1 on Tuesday night at Coors Field.  Box score

Five Takeaways from Tuesday's game

1) Marcus Stroman pitched what was easily his best game as a Met. The right-hander breezed through seven innings, allowing just four hits and holding the Rockies scoreless in the notoriously batter-friendly Coors Field. All four hits allowed by Stroman were singles, and the Rockies only moved one runner into scoring position against Stroman all night. Stroman's previous start against Arizona, when he went 6.1 and allowed just one earned, combined with Tuesday's strong outing should give Mets fans a lot to like. 

As part of four-run top of the fifth inning on Tuesday night in Colorado, Pete Alonso slammed his 48th home run of the season.

A towering shot to center field, Alonso sat on a 3-0 fastball from Rockies starter Tim Melville and launched it to center field, moving ahead of Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez for the National League lead in home runs. 

Earlier in the inning, Amed Rosario got the Mets on the board with a two-run shot, and two batters later, Brandon Nimmo smacked his second home run in as many nights. 

The Mets (77-73, 15.5 GB in NL East, 5.0 GB for second Wild Card) continue a three-game series from Coors Field in Denver against the Colorado Rockies (66-85) Tuesday at 8:40 p.m. on SNY.

Mets Notes

On the second day of the season's final road trip, the Mets are 5-5 in their past 10 games after they fell 9-4 in Monday's series-opening loss to the Rockies. One bright spot was Brandon Nimmo, whose leadoff home run put the Mets on the board in the top of the first inning and added to his solid return -- since being activated Sept. 1, he is slashing .241/.465/.655. Along with Nimmo, Jeff McNeil gave the Mets a boost via the long ball, sending a two-run shot in the top of the third inning and putting the Mets ahead 3-1. McNeil's multihit game was his 50th of the season, becoming the 13th player in Mets history to do so. With 99 hits on the road, Amed Rosario is on the cusp of 100 hits away from home, which would make him the eighth player in Mets history to reach the century mark as a visitor. 

News broke yesterday that Noah Syndergaard won't be pitching to Wilson Ramos during his Wednesday afternoon start in Colorado. Instead, Rene Rivera will make the start behind the plate, and manager Mickey Callaway explained why. 

"It sounds like he's gonna catch him," Callaway said, confirming MLB.com's report. "We feel that's probably going to be the best thing with this night game-day game in this altitude. We think that Noah is going to pitch well with him. So we'll probably go that route tomorrow."

Callaway added that there are "a lot of circumstances" that has Rivera behind the plate, with the quick turnaround from a night game to day game being one of them. Ramos is going to get the start tonight to catch Marcus Stroman.

Kevin Smith was the Mets' 7th-Round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft out of the University of Georgia. Smith split the 2019 season between High-A St Lucie and Double-A Binghamton, where he had a 3.15 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 117 innings pitched.

Smith split time in college between starter and reliever, but the Mets have exclusively been developing him as a starter to date. If he ends up not working out as a starter or there is more of a need in the bullpen, he has the experience and repertoire to work as a lefty out of the bullpen. I talked to Smith recently when I visited Binghamton...

On his upbringing and how he found baseball

"I was born and raised in Dunwoody, Georgia which is about 20 minutes outside of Atlanta. I played all sports growing up but I always had more love for baseball and just developed and grew as a player as I got older."

The Mets (77-73, 5.0 GB of second Wild Card) continue their three-game series against the Rockies at Coors Field in Colorado on Tuesday at 8:40 p.m.

Here's what happened Monday, in case you missed it....

Steven Matz was done in by an awful fourth inning, where he allowed six two-out runs as the Rockies turned a 4-1 deficit into a 7-4 lead in the Mets' eventual 9-4 loss on Monday night >> Read more

In the aftermath of Monday's 9-4 loss to the Colorado Rockies, the Mets sunk another game back as the window for the second Wild Card spot slides closer shut.

Wins by the Chicago Cubs (82-68, 2.0 GB in NL Central, 1.0 GA for second Wild Card) and Milwaukee Brewers (81-69, 3.0 GB in NL Central, 1.0 GB for second Wild Card) put New York (77-73, 16.0 GB in NL East, 5.0 GB for second Wild Card) further away from postseason contention.

With 12 games left over the next two weeks, is the season slipping away from the Mets?

The Mets started their six-game road trip on the wrong foot Monday at Coors Field in Denver, where they dropped the opener of a three-game series with their 9-4 loss to the Rockies (66-85). >> Box score

Five Takeaways from Monday's game

1) The Mets provided the run support early, highlighted by home runs from CF Brandon Nimmo and 3B Jeff McNeil in the first half of the game. Nimmo set the tone in the top of the first inning, going with an opposite-field solo shot to left and putting the Mets on the board. Two frames later in the top of the third inning, McNeil hit his 21st homer on the season when he ripped a deep fly ball down the right-field line, sneaking inside the foul pole and putting the Mets ahead 3-1. 

The Mets wasted no time getting on the board Monday against the Rockies.

With a 1-1 count in the top of the first inning, CF Brandon Nimmo took an outer-half pitch from Colorado RHP Antonio Senzatela the opposite way and deposited the ball into the left-field seats, giving New York its early spark.

Nimmo's sixth home run of the season set the stage for the Mets' early lead over the Rockies through the game's first half.

When pitcher Noah Syndergaard takes the mound on Wednesday for the Mets during their series against the Colorado Rockies, Rene Rivera will reportedly catch for the righty, not Wilson Ramos. 

According to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo, the Mets will make that lineup change behind the plate.

SNY's Andy Martino confirmed a report from The Post on Sept. 9 that Syndergaard had previously voiced his frustrations with the Mets' brass in regard to him having to pitch to Ramos. 

The Mets (77-72, 15.0 GB in NL East, 4.0 GB for second Wild Card) start a three-game series from Coors Field in Denver against the Colorado Rockies (65-85) Monday at 8:40 p.m. on SNY.

Mets Notes

The Mets fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers Sunday night, 3-2, after Seth Lugo gave up an RBI single to Jedd Gyorko in the ninth inning. Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil and Michael Conforto combined to go 0 for 25 together in the three-game series. Despite going hitless in 20 consecutive at-bats, Alonso (47) still has a shot at breaking Aaron Judge's rookie home run record (52) by the end of the season.

There are only 13 games left in the regular season, but Dominic Smith is still hoping to return. And he took a big step on Monday.

Smith, who had been with the team, has traveled to Florida to start doing "more baseball activities and maybe getting some at-bats," manager Mickey Callaway said before Monday night's game in Colorado.

Smith, who has been out since July 26 due to a stress fracture in his left foot, ran and hit off a tee last week for the first time since suffering the injury, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

The 24-year-old Smith was recently transferred from the 10- to 60-day IL, meaning he won't be eligible to return to the active roster until Sept. 25. 

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

In the days after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Mets played a role in helping the city heal. Some of their players visited ground zero, and Shea Stadium's parking lot served as a staging area. Once games resumed, the team wore first responder hats representing the various city agencies that were impacted by the horrific events.

On Sept. 21, 2001, with the Mets still wearing the first responder hats -- in defiance of the league's efforts to stop them -- and with Mike Piazza having placed an 'NYPD' patch over the 'NY' insignia on his catching helmet -- Piazza hit an emotional, go-ahead and decisive eighth-inning home run at Shea Stadium against the Braves during what was the first game played in New York City after the attacks.

The Mets have tried to wear the first responder hats in-game on the anniversary of Sept. 11 numerous times since 2001, and have been denied by the league and/or threatened with fines.

Doug Williams and Andy Martino return with an all-new Shea Anything podcast, as the guys dig deep into the Mets Wild Card hopes with a few winnable series left on the schedule. Doug and Andy also dive into why Pete Alonso has been struggling recently, and they break down where Zack Wheeler could possibly go if the Mets choose to not re-sign him.

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With September dominance, including Sunday night's gem of a start against the Dodgers, Zack Wheeler is making it awfully difficult for the Mets to let him walk out the door as a free agent.

Which prompts a couple of obvious questions:

Joe Torre, MLB's Chief Baseball Officer, explained Sunday during a stop at Citi Field just exactly what the league's reasoning is when it comes to refusing to allow the Mets to wear first responder hats in-game each September 11. 

"The only problem is -- and obviously I'm sensitive to 9/11, there's no question about it," Torre said in the Mets' dugout prior to Sunday night's game. "What's not important, you know, to do something different? That's the only thing. Just a uniformity that we try to bring to all the teams. If we allow one team, somebody God forbid, a young child, and you wind up able to do stuff everywhere. That's the only issue. In order to be uniform and be fair to all the other teams, we try to keep the game hats on for the games."

The above quote is verbatim from Torre. It is unclear the point he's trying to get across when referring to the "young child."

The most important inning of the Mets season began and ended with strategic intrigue -- hardly unusual for the Mickey Callaway era, which has been marked by curious managerial moves.

In this case, however, the primary issue -- whether Callaway should have allowed Zack Wheeler to begin the eighth -- is shaded by nuance.

Wheeler had pitched the game of his life, grinding his way out of tense situations in both the sixth and seventh innings. In the sixth, he struck out MVP candidate Cody Bellinger with a runner on second and two outs. In the seventh, he stranded two runners by striking out Matt Beaty with his 97th pitch.

The Mets (77-72, 4.0 GB of second Wild Card) hit Denver for a three-game set against the Rockies (65-85). Steven Matz will get the ball for New York, with Antonio Senzatela pitching for the home team.

Here's what happened Sunday, in case you missed it....

Zack Wheeler was a stud for the Mets on the bump last night, but the bullpen couldn't match it in a tough 3-2 loss to finish the series against the Dodgers. >> Read more

The Mets have reshaped their roster over the last year and change, saying goodbye to some familiar faces (some beloved, some not) in the process. Every week, we'll take a look at how some of those former Mets are performing with their new teams...

Anthony Kay, Blue Jays

The lefty lasted 4.1 inning against the Yankees on Sept. 13, allowing five earned runs on seven hits. However, he got a no-decision in the game and has yet to record a win or loss in two career starts.

The Mets fell to the Dodgers 3-2 on Sunday night, and are now 4.0 GB in the Wild Card standings. The team will travel out west to play the Colorado Rockies in a three-game series, starting on Monday night.

"When their backs are against the wall, they do special things," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said. "They've proved that time and time again, and I think they're going to continue to prove that. We gotta go take care of business in Colorado. Tough place to go, tough travel night. There's no excuses. We got to wake up, come out, swing the bats, and get the job done."

The Rockies have had a difficult season, as they are currently 65-85 and 31.5 GB of the Dodgers in the NL West. However, they have won five out of their last six games, including a sweep of the San Diego Padres.

The Mets bullpen allows two runs late as they fall 3-2 to the Dodgers. >> Box score

Five Takeaways from Sunday's game

1) Zack Wheeler was great once again, striking out nine and allowing just one earned run on six hits. The righty threw 97 pitches over seven innings of work. This makes it four-straight starts that Wheeler has allowed one earned run and no home runs.

The Mets (77-71, 3.0 GB in Wild Card race) wrap up their three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers (96-54, 19.5 GA in NL West) on Sunday night at 7:05 p.m.

Mets Notes

The Mets beat the Dodgers 3-0 on Saturday night thanks to a clutch hit by Rajai Davis. The 38-year-old came in to pinch hit in the eighth inning and delivered a three-run double to give the Mets their only runs of the day. Jacob deGrom threw 101 pitches over seven innings, allowing just three hits and striking out eight. Justin Wilson sealed the deal with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to get the save.

UPDATE: Polling on this has closed. 

Here are 12 of the best moments at Citi Field in chronological order ... upvote your favorite ones and we'll count down what you, the fans, voted as your Top 10.

And comment below on what your favorite moment is...

Mets ace Jacob deGrom is one of the top contenders to win the 2019 NL Cy Young. If he does, it would give him back-to-back Cy Young awards -- making him the first Met to ever accomplish that feat. Here's where things stand in the race...

Jacob deGrom, Mets

Key stats: 2.61 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 239 K's (11.3 per 9) in 190 IP (30 starts), 6.2 WAR (FanGraphs), 6.9 WAR (Baseball Reference)
Last start: Threw seven scoreless innings against the Dodgers on Saturday, striking out eight and allowing just three hits.
Next start: Sept. 20 @ Reds
Trending: UP, with back-to-back dominants starts against the D-backs and Dodgers. He's thrown seven innings in six straight starts 11 of his last 13.

The Mets (77-71, 3.0 GB of second Wild Card) finish up their series with the Dodgers on Sunday at 7:05 p.m. with Zack Wheeler and Walker Buehler on the mound.

Here's what happened Saturday, in case you missed it....

Rajai Davis came to the plate in the eighth inning last night, and delivered big time with a bases-clearing double that led the Mets to a 3-0 victory over the Dodgers. >> Read more

Do the Mets have a miracle finish in them? If ever there was a night to believe such a thing, this was it.

A bases-loaded double in the eighth-inning by a bit player like Rajai Davis, turning a 0-0 tie into a 3-0 win over the mighty Dodgers, was evidence in itself.

In truth, however, the belief should come from the machinations that put Davis up at the plate for the decisive at-bat.

Jacob deGrom meant business on Saturday. 

He's still looking for his first-career regular season win against the Los Angeles Dodgers as he didn't get the decision, but that hardly mattered. He was the winner in the Mets' 3-0 win against the Dodgers at Citi Field. 

But at 101 pitches, deGrom was yanked from the game after seven innings. 

Rajai Davis left Citi Field a hero on Saturday. The Mets won 3-0 against the Dodgers thanks to Davis' clutch pinch-hit double in the eighth inning. 

The moment was huge. The Mets hadn't had a base runner since the third inning and then they had the bases juiced in the eighth as Todd Frazier and Brandon Nimmo were hit by pitches and Amed Rosario was walked by Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias. 

Due up was Seth Lugo, but Mets skipper Mickey Callaway opted for Davis and his rip down the left field line turned that into a game-winning choice. Following the contest, Davis said he's hoping Callaway opts for similar decisions in the near future. 

Mets keep 3.0 games back in Wild Card race thanks to Rajai Davis' clutch hit in 3-0 win vs. Dodgers. >> Box score

Five Takeaways from Saturday's game

1) Rajai Davis, the hero we all expected. In what went down as the Mets' final at-bat, the 38-year-old vet was called off the bench and delivered as a pinch hitter in the eighth. Both Todd Frazier and Brandon Nimmo were hit by pitches to start the rally, then Amed Rosario walked to load the bases. Due up was pitcher Seth Lugo, but skipper Mickey Callaway subbed in Davis, a righty hitter against lefty hurler Julio Urias. Battling through the plate appearance, fouling off two pitches, Davis pulled a double to left field, which cleared the bases, scoring all three base runners. 

The Mets have something good in Jeff McNeil, even Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had to admit it. 

McNeil, 27, the Mets' consistent batter and utility man in the field, has a skill set not many other players have. He can play just about anywhere, and can play it well. 

Roberts, who was the manager of the National League squad at the 2019 MLB All-Star game which included McNeil, said that versatility makes the Met a rare talent. 

The Mets (76-71, 3.0 GB in Wild Card race) continue their three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers (96-53, 20.5 GA in NL West) on Saturday night at 7:10 p.m.

Mets Notes

After being held out of Friday's starting lineup, Pete Alonso is back in the starting nine on Saturday, batting fourth. ... Mets starter Jacob deGrom leads the NL with a 2.20 ERA since May 22. ... The Mets have matched a franchise record with four players hitting at least 20 home runs. JD Davis currently stands at 19. ... Seth Lugo has given the Mets 13.0 straight scoreless inning out of the pen, dating back to August 17.

Before the Mets' continued their three-game series over the weekend with Saturday's 7:10 p.m. matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field, they made a couple of corresponding moves to the 40-man roster.

New York selected the contract of LHP Donnie Hart from Triple-A Syracuse, the team announced, and designated RHP Eric Hanhold for assignment as a result.

Handhold had not yet pitched for the Mets in 2019, spending the bulk of his season between Triple-A Syracuse (39 games) and Double-A Binghamton (nine games), making 48 appearances between the two with a 5-4 record and 3.84 ERA.

When the Mets pulled RHP Noah Syndergaard (10-8, 4.15 ERA) after his 5.0 innings of four strikeouts and two walks were plagued by a four-run fourth inning in which he allowed Gavin Lux's three-run home run, New York's bullpen was called on by manager Mickey Callaway to keep the narrow deficit intact.

But as has been the case all season long, the team's biggest weakness surfaced once again.

Los Angeles piled on five more runs throughout the final four frames and pulled away for the Dodgers' 9-2 win in the weekend series opener Friday at Citi Field, leaving Callaway with a simple response when asked about the Mets' bullpen.

The Mets (76-71, 15.0 GB in NL East, 3.0 GB of second Wild Card) continue their three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on Saturday at 7:10 p.m.

Here's what happened Friday, in case you missed it....

Noah Syndergaard put his performance against the Dodgers into perspective after he pitched to Wilson Ramos >> Read more

Through the first three innings of Friday's game between the Mets and Dodgers, Noah Syndergaard looked to be at the top of his game, allowing just two hitters to reach base while striking out four.

But in the fourth inning, Syndergaard made a pair of mistake pitches that ultimately handed him his eighth loss of the season in the Dodgers' 9-2 victory.

With one away, Cody Bellinger walked, followed by a Corey Seager single. AJ Pollock then sharply grounded a ball up the middle, just out of the reach of Robinson Cano, scoring Bellinger and tying the game.

Then came the big blow. On a 3-2 pitch, Syndergaard left a curveball up in the zone, and Gavin Lux didn't miss it, crushing a three-run shot to center field that hit just about the orange line, giving the Dodgers a 4-1 lead.

The Mets offense struggled against Clayton Kershaw in their 9-2 loss to the Dodgers on Friday night at Citi Field. >> Box score

Five Takeaways from Friday's game

1) Noah Syndergaard lasted just 5.0 innings after allowing four earned runs on five hits. All four runs were scored in the fourth inning, including a three-run homer from Gavin Lux. It was Lux's second career home run, and the 15th that Syndergaard has allowed at Citi Field this season... he's given up a total of 20 home runs on the year. 

With 47 home runs and counting, Pete Alonso is the Mets' new single-season home run king.

Prior to this season, that title was held by both Todd Hundley (1996) and Carlos Beltran (2006), who each hit 41.

On Friday, Hundley was in attendance at Citi Field, and had the opportunity to speak with Alonso prior to the game against the Dodgers.

JD Davis got the Mets' night started with a bang.

As the Mets begin another critical series with the Dodgers, Davis helped the Mets begin on the right foot, slamming a first-inning solo shot off of Clayton Kershaw to give the Mets an early 1-0 lead.

The Mets (76-70, 2.0 GB in Wild Card race) start a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers (95-53, 19.5 GA in NL West) on Friday night at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Mets Notes

The Mets are coming off a 11-1 win on Thursday that completed their four-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Juan Lagares was the star of the day, as he hit two home runs, including his first-career grand slam. Todd Frazier, Robinson Cano, Tomas Nido, and Michael Conforto all homered as well, setting a team record with six total home runs. Pete Alonso will get the day off, after going 0-for-5 with three strikeouts on Thursday.

With the Mets 2.0 games out of the second Wild Card spot with 16 games to go, Jacob deGrom remains lined up to start the Wild Card Game on Oct. 1 should New York make it. 

The rotation right now in order has deGrom at the top, followed by Zack Wheeler, Steven Matz, Marcus Stroman, and Noah Syndergaard. 

DeGrom will start next on Saturday against the Dodgers, and if the Mets keep him on an every-fifth-day schedule -- which he has been on over the last month -- his final start of the regular season will be on Sept. 25 against the Marlins at Citi Field. 

Former Mets prospect Justin Dunn struggled badly in his first major league start for the Mariners on Thursday night, failing to get out of the first inning while throwing far more balls than strikes.

Dunn opened the game by walking the bases loaded, with many of the pitches nowhere near the strike zone. After allowing a sacrifice fly, he walked the next two batters before allowing a second sacrifice fly and walking one more batter. He was then removed from the game. 

Overall, Dunn allowed two runs on no hits while walking five and striking out none in 2/3 of an inning. He threw 37 pitches (24 balls and 13 strikes).

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

A month ago a handful of the Mets' top scouts were watching a high school All-Star game at Long Beach State in California, the home field of one Jeff McNeil in college, and in that setting they couldn't help but marvel at the transformation of their former 12th-round draft pick.

"Jeff didn't hit a home run in his entire college career," Mets' scouting director Marc Tramuta said by phone, "so we're sitting there wondering if there has ever been a player with zero home runs in college who might hit 20 in a big-league season.

"Then the same bunch of us were texting about it when it happened (Wednesday night). It's crazy."

The Mets are one of nine teams to never have a player hit 50 home runs in single season.

Pete Alonso is three home runs short of removing the Mets from the list. He also has a good chance to break Yankees OF Aaron Judge's single-season rookie home run record of 52.

The above two records are nice. However, if Alonso remains healthy and strong as he gets older, 2019 will prove to be the beginning of what has the potential to be an incredible career.

The Mets have come back from the brink to put themselves firmly in Wild Card contention. Here's everything you need to know about the state of the race...

Nationals (81-64, 3.5 games up for first Wild Card)

Next up: vs. Braves, Friday at 7:06 p.m. (Max Scherzer vs. Mike Soroka)
Latest result: 12-6 win over Twins on Thursday
Current odds to make playoffs: 97.7 percent
Latest news: Max Scherzer still proving his health as he rounds back into form

Cubs (78-68, tied with Brewers for second Wild Card)

Next up: vs. Pirates, Friday at 4:05 p.m. (Jon Lester vs. Steven Brault)
Latest result: 4-1 win over Padres on Thursday
Current odds to make playoffs: 51.9 percent
Latest news: Theo Epstein has been frustrated by the Cubs' recent struggles

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month on SNY, presented by Verizon, Amed Rosario remembers playing baseball as a kid in the Dominican Republic.

The Mets (76-70, 2.0 GB of second Wild Card) open a three-game series against the Dodgers at Citi Field on Friday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what happened on Thursday, in case you missed it....

The Mets' offense erupted for a second straight day and Marcus Stroman turned in his best start since being acquired in an 11-1 win over the Diamondbacks on Thursday afternoon that secured a four-game sweep >> Read more

David Peterson is a left-handed pitcher who was the Mets first-round pick, No. 20 overall in the 2017 MLB Draft out of the University of Oregon.

In 2019, Peterson spent the entire season with Double-A Binghamton, where he went 3-6 with a 4.19 ERA in 116 innings pitched. He is the most advanced starting pitching prospect remaining in the system, and it's a very good possibility you see him starting some games for the Mets sometime in 2020.

I spent a few minutes with Peterson when I visited Binghamton, where we talked about where he started to where he is now.

Marcus Stroman had arguably his best start as a member of the Mets in Thursday's 11-1 win over the D-backs.

The righty allowed just one earned run on four hits and struck out six during his 6.1 innings of work. He earned just his second win with the team since being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays at the deadline in July.

"To be honest with you, my confidence doesn't waver regardless," Stroman said. "I don't hold onto a good win, I don't hold onto a bad loss, truly. I let it go and focus on five days after."

"It's Juan Lagares Day at Citi Field!"

Gary Cohen's words from the SNY booth captured the feeling Mets fans everywhere, as Lagares helped lead the Mets to an 11-1 win over the D-backs, completing a huge four-game sweep with major Wild Card implications. 

Lagares, who has struggled at the plate in his limited playing time this season, broke out in a huge way. He went 2-for-4 at the plate, with both hits being home runs. His grand slam in the bottom of the third inning, the first grand slam he can ever remember hitting in his life, broke the game open early, giving the Mets a 6-0 lead.