Here is the Sports Squared crossword puzzle for Monday, March 30 called Amazin' All-Stars...

Mets 1B Pete Alonso joined former Yankee and current MLB analyst Alex Rodriguez on the latter's Instagram Live on Sunday to jump into a bunch of different topics. 

Here's the best of what the reigning NL Rookie of the Year and former MLB MVP discussed...

The Baseball Night in New York crew is in the comfort of their own living rooms, but they are still talking about Mets slugger Yoenis Cespedes.

Watch how the Mets fared against the Nationals in Game 3 of the digital season on MLB The Show 20.

Click below to watch.

With the MLB season still on hiatus, let's dip into the mailbag...

Anthony C in Hoboken via text: Is there any chance the Mets bring back Matt Harvey to replace Noah Syndergaard in the rotation? Say yes.

I would love to see Harvey come home, but in no way can he be guaranteed a role. He'll need to earn his way into the rotation (or bullpen). If he could do it, and do it with hunger and focus, it would be an incredible redemption story and something that would captivate baseball and Mets fans.

I realize things did not end well between the Mets and Harvey, who had all sorts of physical and other issues before and after he left New York. Aside from thoracic outlet syndrome, his struggles likely stemmed from the pressure put on himself to be not just successful but a massive, superstar success, which he briefly had and lost.

Sure, Bartolo Colon accomplished a great amount during his MLB playing days. 

In 21 big-league seasons, Colon won 247 games, took home an AL Cy Young Award in 2005, and made the All-Star team four times.

While with the Mets, he also did this:

CLICK BELOW FOR VIDEO

We all miss Mets baseball.

Bobby Valentine really misses Mets baseball.

The former Mets manager tweeted out an two-minute video on Saturday morning of him showing off an extensive collection of Mets memorabilia while singing a terrific rendition of Meet the Mets.

Watch to see how the Mets fared against the Nationals in Game 2 of the digital season on MLB The Show 20.

Click below to watch.

Major League Baseball and the Players' Association signed off Friday on a deal regarding how things will shake out if there is a shortened or canceled season amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to multiple reports, the deal between MLB and the MLBPA focuses on how a shortened season will look (including the potential of an expanded playoff field), where games will be played (including the potential of playing at neutral sites and/or in front of no fans for a period of time), and how arbitration and free agency will be impacted if the season is shortened or canceled. 

Per Tony Clark, who is the chief of the MLBPA, players -- while preferring to play in front of fans and not empty ballparks -- are open to whatever gets them back playing as soon as possible.

On the latest edition of Out of Office Replies, SNY contributor Dan Graca remembers his favorite Mets Opening Day, talks about the Jets and Robby Anderson, and more!

The Baseball Night in New York crew being in the comfort of their own living rooms doesn't mean it's not a good time to go through The Lineup Card.

The panel goes through questions about the Mets' bullpen, talks video games, predicts the AL East standings, and much more...

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

While it is unclear when or if the 2020 MLB season will begin as the United States and rest of the world remains on various forms of lockdown amid the coronavirus pandemic, the league and Players' Association have agreed to a deal regarding how things will shake out if there is a shortened or canceled season.

According to multiple reports, the deal between MLB and the MLBPA focuses on how a shortened season will look (including the potential of an expanded playoff field), where games will be played (including the potential of playing at neutral sites and/or in front of no fans for a period of time), and how arbitration and free agency will be impacted if the season is shortened or canceled. 

In the latest edition of Out of Office Replies, SNY contributor Maggie Gray's class is in session, as she discusses potential X-factors for the Mets, talks about who the Jets and Giants should be targeting in the first round of the NFL Draft, and gives a lesson about spending big on free agent running backs ...

With Major League Baseball and all other major sports on pause due to the coronavirus pandemic, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred is hopeful that the season will begin at some point in May.

While June and perhaps July are likelier target dates for the start of the season, one thing has remained constant for the Mets -- even with the team recently losing Noah Syndergaard for the season.

Their odds to win the NL East and reach/win the World Series have not moved much.

Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard's Tommy John surgery went as expected on Thursday, the team said Friday.

While most elective surgeries have been paused due to the coronavirus pandemic, Syndergaard's -- which took place in Florida -- was detremined by doctors to be essential due to the impact on his career.

The common recovery time for pitchers from Tommy John surgery is 12-to-16 months, meaning Syndergaard will miss the entire 2020 season and potentially part of the 2021 season as well.

SNY's Andy Martino reported earlier this week that a "reasonable expectation" for when Syndergaard returns is Memorial Day of the 2021 season, which is his final season of arbitration before free agency.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With the COVID-19 pandemic pushing back the start of the MLB season, it's naturally possible that the July 31 trade deadline will be pushed back.

MLB would like to start the season in late May, though those plans are tentative and dependent on the virus slowing its trajectory by then. Per sources, the league will try to play as many games as possible, could expand the playoffs, and hold a World Series in November or even December.

Jeff McNeil spent part of what would've been Opening Day chasing a snake out of his backyard while simultaneously protecting his pets -- Willow the dog and Mac the cat.

Pete Alonso spent part of what would've been Opening Day trying a Tik Tok dance (while accompanied by his dog), as filmed by his fiancee, Haley.

Click below to see...

According to multiple reports, Major League Baseball and the Players Association have agreed to a deal regarding how to handle a potentially shortened season due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the players have already voted to approve the deal, and since they were working off of a counteroffer from the league, it's expected that the league will ratify the agreement on Friday.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, players will receive an advance of $170 million spread out over two months, and salries will then be pro-rated based on how many games are actually played in the 2020 season. 

On what would have been Opening Day around baseball, the Baseball Night in New York crew explains what Opening Day means to them.

Meanwhile, the crew gives some "gut instincts," including who they would rather take to win one game: Mets ace Jacob deGrom or Yankees ace Gerrit Cole ...  

Jeff McNeil and his Mets teammates were supposed to be at Citi Field right now facing the Nationals in Opening Day.

Instead?

McNeil, who is still in Florida, spent part of his Thursday chasing a snake out of his backyard/pool area, where Willow (his dog) and Mac (his cat) were trying to have a relaxing afternoon. Click below to see...

The MLB season is on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, but teams are still allowed to make roster moves during the hiatus. And the Mets made a pair of them on Thursday.

Relievers Paul Sewald and Daniel Zamora were optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, the team announced, as the makeup of the 2020 bullpen continued to come into focus.

Before Noah Syndergaard was lost for the season due to Tommy John surgery, the Mets had been expected to use either Michael Wacha or Steven Matz to round out a bullpen that will feature eight relievers most of the time.

In the latest edition of Out of Office Replies, SNY contributor Pete McCarthy says Pete Alonso is going to hit more homers than Aaron Judge when the season gets underway, believes the Jets should continue bolstering that o-line, and much more...

Watch how the Mets fared against the Nationals on Digital Opening Day on MLB The Show 20.

Click below to watch.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With the start of the 2020 season delayed until at least May 10 due to the coronavirus pandemic, this season -- and MLB is determined to salvage it -- would be the first shortened campaign since 1995, when the 1994 strike became a lockout that led to 18 games being sliced from the schedule.

The 2020 season could be similar to the 1995 season in one key aspect, with a potentially expanded playoff being considered. 2020 could also include postseason games played at neutral sites due to them spilling into November, and multiple doubelheaders per week as the league makes up lost games.

Before the 2020 season begins (hopefully by June), here's a look at how the Mets have fared in other shortened seasons -- and how those seasons looked.

Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling check in with SNY from a digital Citi Field for Mets Opening Day on PS4 with MLB The Show 20.

You can watch Thursday's game here.

In an alternate universe, it's Opening Day at Citi Field, with Jacob deGrom and the Mets preparing to host the Nationals.

In this universe, 2020 Opening Day will have to wait -- until when, we don't know -- as the United States and the rest of the World practices social distancing in an effort to slow down the coronavirus pandemic.

For now, all we have are memories. So here are five of the most memorable moments in Mets Opening Day history...

On the eve of what would have been baseball's opening day, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred offered a bit of an update on where things stand given the coronavirus outbreak.

SNY's Andy Martino reported earlier on Wednesday that MLB is determined to salvage some sort of baseball in 2020, and Manfred echoed those sentiments in an interview on Wednesday evening. 

Appearing as a guest on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt, Manfred was asked about what the timeline might be in terms of getting baseball back into action, and while there's still so much up in the air concerning the current coronavirus outbreak, Manfred said he was hopeful that the month of May could see the game back on its feet.

Heading into the 2020 regular season, the Mets had some questions about the back end of their rotation. Who would be the odd man out among Steven Matz, Rick Porcello, and Michael Wacha?

Well with Tuesday's news that Noah Syndergaard would be undergoing Tommy John surgery, that back end becomes a bit more clear. The Baseball Night in New York crew breaks down what the Mets' rotation will look like whenever this season begins, while also explaining who needs to step up in Syndergaard's absence ...

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With the 2020 MLB season paused, let's dip into the mailbag and answer some Mets and Yankees questions...

@parthsrule: What do you think about doing something unorthodox and offering Syndergaard a club friendly (and now player security friendly) multi year extension?

It's not a bad idea, but the Mets are right up against the luxury tax and are unlikely to exceed it. That makes any contract extension tricky. Plus, they've never shown a desire to keep Syndergaard beyond next year.

As J.D. Davis, Dominic Smith and the rest of the Mets practice social distancing, J.D. and Dom joined SNY's Steve Gelbs on a weekly show right here.  

On the debut episode of The Cookie Club with J.D. and Dom, the guys talked about the origins of their Cookie Club, what they're doing to keep busy, and poked some fun at Pete Alonso.

The guys also talked about what they're doing to stay in baseball shape with much of Florida on lockdown, and there being no timeframe yet for when the season will start.

In the latest edition of Out of Office Replies, SNY contributor Marc Malusis explains why he thinks the best is yet to come for Edwin Diaz in a Mets uniform, why Gary Sanchez is the Yankees' x-factor, and who his favorite moose of all time is ...

On the debut of The Cookie Club with J.D. and Dom, SNY's Steve Gelbs talks to J.D. Davis and Dominic Smith about being home, cookies, and Pete Alonso.

As we continue to practice social distancing in the safety of our own homes, medical professionals and first responders are combating the coronavirus pandemic by fighting it on the front lines. 

That's something Mets 1B Pete Alonso wanted to acknowledge. 

Alonso sent personal videos to some of those courageous professionals who just so happen to be Mets fans as well. Check it out...

With the 2020 Major League Baseball season delayed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic (with the league determined to salvage the season), the Mets were dealt a big blow on Tuesday when the team announced that Noah Syndergaard would undergo Tommy John surgery.

Syndergaard missing the entire 2020 season will have a huge impact on the Mets' pitching staff. But while it's a big injury to overcome, the Mets are in solid position to do so.

The betting market agrees, with the Mets' odds to win the World Series no different the day after the Syndergaard news than they were before it...

With the Major League Baseball season in an indefinite holding pattern due to the coronavirus pandemic and the earliest regular season start date May 10, the league and MLBPA have been discussing potential scenarios for how things might look if/when the season gets underway.

According to major league sources, MLB is determined to salvage some sort of baseball in 2020, and is still figuring out how that will look, SNY's Andy Martino reported on Tuesday. 

Per Martino, a "significantly shortened season and expanded postseason" are both possibilities, and "perhaps likelihoods." 

The Mets received some unfortunate injury news on Tuesday afternoon, as it was announced that right-hander Noah Syndergaard would be undergoing Tommy John surgery for a torn UCL.

Syndergaard began feeling discomfort in his pitching elbow before the coronavirus pandemic halted spring training, and with surgery set for this Thursday, there's now a reasonable expectation that the Mets could be without Syndergaard until Memorial Day of 2021.

Some of Syndergaard's teammates and coaches voiced their support for the righty on social media after the news was announced. Here's a look at what other members of the Mets had to say:

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

From the time Noah Syndergaard rather famously added muscle during the winter of 2017 with the stated intention to throw even harder than 100-101 mph, I heard from pitching coaches past and present who feared this day was coming. 

So on a day when the Mets announced Syndergaard will undergo Tommy John surgery, perhaps only the timing was a shock, considering spring training has been shut down for nearly two weeks due to the coronavirus outbreak. 

Even with spring training camps shut down, the Mets still received some bad news on the injury front on Tuesday, as it was announced that right-hander Noah Syndergaard will need Tommy John surgery.

So what direction will the Mets turn to in order to replace him in the rotation? The Baseball Night in New York crew breaks down exactly what this means for the Mets and how it will impact them once the 2020 season eventually begins ...

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With the 2020 Major League Baseball season on hold indefinitely, Noah Syndergaard, the Mets, and their fans received news Tuesday that put a huge dent in their 2020 hopes -- and maybe their 2021 hopes as well.

Syndergaard, who had up to this point avoided a serious arm injury despite being one of the hardest throwers in the game, needs Tommy John surgery.

That surgery, which means the loss of Syndergaard for at least the entire 2020 season, will send ripple effects up and down the Mets' roster in 2020 and beyond and could have a huge impact on Syndergaard's personal future and his future with the Mets.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

If you're a Mets fan looking for context to help process the news that Noah Syndergaard needs Tommy John surgery, consider this: The season that Syndergaard will miss will be shorter -- and weirder -- than just about any other in history.

It's the same silver lining that the Yankees stumbled into with Luis Severino, whose elbow also needed surgical reconstruction this spring. 

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, no one knows when baseball will return, or how long the season will be. According to major league sources, MLB is determined to salvage some sort of baseball in 2020, and is still figuring out how that will look. 

In an enormous blow to the Mets' 2020 season and potentially their 2021 season as well, right-handed pitcher Noah Syndergaard will undergo Tommy John surgery on Thursday due to a torn UCL in his right elbow, the team announced Tuesday.

"After experiencing discomfort in his elbow before Spring Training was suspended due to the pandemic, Noah and our health and performance department have been in constant contact," Brodie Van Wagenen said in a statement. "Based on the persistence of his symptoms, Noah underwent a physical examination and MRI that revealed the ligament tear. A second opinion from Dr. Neal ElAttrache confirmed the diagnosis and the recommendation for surgery. Noah is an incredibly hard worker and a tremendous talent. While this is unfortunate, we have no doubt that Noah will be able to return to full strength and continue to be an integral part of our Championship pursuits in the future."

Recovery from Tommy John surgery for pitchers is ordinarily 12-to-16 months, likely putting the earliest return for Syndergaard at Opening Day of the 2021 season.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

2019 was the year of the home run in Major League Baseball, with many balls that used to be ordinary fly outs sailing out of ballparks. The combination of pitchers being unable to properly grip baseballs that were slicker and had lower seams and hitters taking aim at a ball that was flying differently once hit led to numbers that were staggering.

An MLB-record 6,776 home runs were hit during the 2019 season, up from 5,585 in 2018. There had been a spike from 2016 to 2017 as well (5,610 home runs to 6,105 home runs), but 2019 was simply a different animal. And it transformed baseball into a different sport than it had ever been before, arguably for the worst.

New York Mets players weigh in on which teammates remind them of Michael Scott, Dwight Schrute and more from the hit TV show, The Office.

Baseball Night in New York is back with another Living Room Edition, and this time the main topic of conversation is all about a blast from the Mets' past: Matt Harvey. 

The crew breaks down the rise and fall of Harvey, reflecting on his highs and lows in New York, and what lessons overall could be learned from his career thus far.

MARTINO: How I dehumanized Matt Harvey while covering the Mets

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

It's not that Matt Harvey minded the comparison. In fact he texted to say the opposite, after I wrote a column on Aug. 1, 2014 saying that he could be our generation's Joe Namath.

Broadway Matt. Who wouldn't like the sound of that?

In the latest edition, SNY contributor Jon Hein talks Jacob deGrom vs. Gerrit Cole, who he has more faith in between the Jets and Giants, and tells a flattering Howard Stern story...

Native New Yorker and Mets right-hander Marcus Stroman is utilizing his HDMH (Height Doesn't Measure Heart) Foundation to help with the state's response to the coronavirus pandemic.

New York City has been hit harder than anywhere in the country, with 10,764 known positive cases and 99 deaths as of Monday morning.

Millions of New Yorkers rely on food banks each year. As the COVID-19 health crisis continues to unfold, that number will grow, especially as millions of at risk children across the nation lose the healthy meals they depend on due to schools closing nationwide, reads the call-to-action on the HDMH website.

Baseball isn't just about statistics, home run totals, and wins and losses. It's also about emotions, thrills, chills and personal stories that we can invest in.

Thankfully, the Mets are never short on stories and bizarre moments worth dissecting.

That said, here are five storylines I hope to see in 2020...

Like the rest of us, SNY's Mets game analyst Keith Hernandez is trying to find ways to pass the time while self-quarantining to prevent the spread of coronavirus. 

We'd obviously rather Keith be in the booth with Gary Cohen and Ron Darling calling Mets Opening Day this Thursday. But it's nice to see him giving us an update on what he's been doing during quarantine. 

Sounds like he needs a little help, though...