Mickey Callaway knew he'd have to rely on the Mets' bullpen on Tuesday night, and the group answered the call and then some against a potent Twins lineup, leading to a 3-2 win.

Before the game, Callaway set a 75-80 pitch limit for Steven Matz, making his return to the rotation after a brief stint in the pen. After 68 pitches over four innings from the lefty, Callaway turned the ball over to the bullpen, where six relievers combined to hold the Twins scoreless over the course of five innings.

Robert Gsellman, Luis Avilan, Jeurys Familia, Justin Wilson, Seth Lugo and Edwin Diaz combined to keep the Twins' bats at bay, allowing a Michael Conforto fifth-inning RBI single to decide the game. Callaway said after the game that he believed this was the bullpen's best overall performance of the season.

The Mets' bullpen pitched five shutout innings to help lead the way to a 3-2 victory over the Twins on Tuesday night.  >> Box score

Five things to know from Tuesday's game

1) Steven Matz gave the Mets four solid innings of work in his return to the rotation, allowing just two runs on five hits. First inning troubles have plagued him all season long, allowing 23 first inning runs in his first 17 starts, but he pitched an easy first inning on Tuesday in Minneapolis. His night came to an end after 68 pitches, slightly under the 75-80 pitch limit that Mickey Callaway set for him before the game. 

Mets outfielder Michael Conforto flashed some leather on Tuesday vs. the Twins. In the bottom of the third inning, Nelson Cruz belted a ball to left-center field that looked like it was at least going to be an extra-base hit, but Conforto raced it down to make a leaping catch while crashing into the wall, robbing Cruz and ending the inning. 

Mets RHP Zack Wheeler gave his official diagnosis after hitting the IL on Monday, telling the media Tuesday it is a shoulder impingement that has been bothering him. 

This is an ailment that Wheeler has dealt with in the past, noting that he began feeling it halfway through his start against the Yankees as well as the entire outing against the Phillies. 

After receiving an MRI, Wheeler isn't too worried that this will keep him sidelined for too long.

The Mets (42-51, 15.0 GB in NL East) take on the Twins (58-34, 6 GA in AL Central) in the opening game of a brief, two-game series on Tuesday at 8:10 p.m. 

Mets notes

The Mets are returning to Target Field for the first time since 2013, where they took all three games from the Twins that season. It took two visits to complete the series six years ago, as April weather in Minnesota forced a postponement and a return trip to complete the series in August... The Mets split a two-game series against the Twins at Citi Field earlier this season, but have won eight of their last nine games against them dating back to 2013... Amed Rosario is batting .287/.317/.431 with 11 doubles, four triples, three home runs, 24 RBI and nine walks in 50 games on the road this season... Coming off homers in back-to-back games for the first time since 2017, Robinson Cano is slashing .395/.422/.558 over his last 11 contest... Jeff McNeil's .366 batting average on the road is tops in all of baseball.  

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

After Travis d'Arnaud had stunned Aroldis Chapman and the Yankees on the greatest night of his baseball life, the type of night the Mets gave up on waiting for, Buck Showalter had an interesting take that served as a reminder he's available to manage next season.

In Queens, perhaps?

I don't think it's out of the question, partly because I believe Brodie Van Wagenen realizes the instant credibility a big-name manager such as Showalter or Joe Girardi would bring to the Mets, which is something they desperately need after the Mickey Callaway era ends.

Doug Williams and Andy Martino drop an all-new Shea Anything, and they re-examine the trade options for the Mets after the news came out that Zack Wheeler has hit the injured list. They also look into the future for potential moves involving Noah Syndergaard, while looking back at the past to judge previous moves made on Travis d'Arnaud and Jacob deGrom.

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN

With Rays catcher Travis d'Arnaud belting three homers on Monday night against the Yankees in the Bronx, it gave the Mets' self-loathing fan base (of which I am a member) an excuse to launch another "woe-is-us" campaign. To chalk this up as another "LOLMets" moment. But it wasn't one.

Were the Mets wrong to tender d'Arnaud a contract in the offseason only to DFA him after only 10 games and 25 plate appearnaces as he returned from Tommy John surgery? Yes. The smart move would've been to non-tender him in order to not waste that money.

Most expected the Mets to move on from d'Arnaud after they signed Wilson Ramos to be their starting catcher and added Devin Mesoraco on a minor league deal. For some reason, they didn't.

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen said last Friday that the team needed to face its "reality." Part of that reality meant realizing their place in the standings and trading Zack Wheeler before the July 31 trade deadline. On Monday, those plans took a hit.

Wheeler landing on the IL with right shoulder fatigue (reportedly precautionary, he's expected to be fine and return soon) makes any potential trade of him in the next 15 days more complicated. It doesn't torpedo those plans, but it does make Van Wagenen's job harder. 

Assuming Wheeler is pretty much fine and returns to start on July 23 or shortly after, here are three scenarios that could play out...

Travis d'Arnaud nearly missed the team bus to Yankee Stadium on Monday, and the Yankees probably wish he had. 

The Tampa Bay Rays catcher has suddenly emerged as a new Yankee-killer in the past month. D'Arnaud has four home runs in his last eight at-bats against the Yankees, which include a walk-off home run and a ninth inning, three-run go-ahead shot on Monday night that doomed the Bombers in a 5-4 loss. 

D'Arnaud was responsible for driving in all five of Tampa Bay's runs, with two solo home runs off James Paxton, finishing the night 3-for-3 with a walk. He became the first catcher to hit three home runs in a game out of the leadoff spot, per Elias Sports Bureau.  

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Mets are sending their most trusted evaluator, former GM Omar Minaya, to scout the Triple-A debut of Yankees pitching prospect Deivi Garcia on Monday night, according to major league sources.

The Yankees promoted Garcia, their top pitching prospect, after he started the Futures Game in Cleveland last week. At 20 years old, Garcia is the youngest player in Triple-A.

The Mets and Yankees have had many discussions about Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler, stretching back to last winter. The Yankees will not trade Garcia for a rental player like Wheeler, who will be a free agent after this season.

The Mets are placing RHP Zack Wheeler on the 10-day IL due to shoulder fatigue he experienced Sunday while preparing for his next start, the team said Monday. 

A person close to Wheeler told SNY's Andy Martino that the pitcher is fine, should be back pitching in time to be traded by July 31, and that the IL situation is seen as a blip.

Wheeler, who had been slated to start on Tuesday night against the Twins in Minnesota (Steven Matz will start in his place), will be eligible to be activated from the IL on July 22.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Every Monday, we'll be taking a look at how the Mets' top prospects (their MLB.com Mets Top 10 rankings are in parenthesis) are faring.

Andres Gimenez, SS, Double-A Binghamton (No. 1) -- ETA 2020

The 20-year-old Gimenez -- who is the Mets' No. 1 prospect now that Pete Alonso's prospect status has expired -- has hits in 10 of his last 12 games, including five multi-hit games in that span. 

Overall, he is hitting just .243/.309/.364 in 71 games this season with four homers, four triples, and 13 doubles. Gimenez, who can be a staple for the Mets at either shortstop or second base, was recently profiled by MetsBlog contributor Joe DeMayo here. 

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

During the All-Star break, the Yankees and Red Sox were both talking to the Mets about Zack Wheeler, setting up a potential race between division rivals to acquire the pitcher.

Then, when the Sox acquired righty starter Andrew Cashner from Baltimore on Saturday, it left rivals to wonder if that took them out of the Wheeler sweepstakes.

That does turn out to be the case: According to major league sources, Boston is out on Wheeler now. With Cashner on board, the Sox expect to now look for bullpen help.

The Mets (42-51, 14.5 GB in NL East, 6.0 GB of second Wild Card) are off on Monday before opening a two-game set with the Twins in Minnesota on Tuesday night. 

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

In the Mets' 6-2 win over the Marlins, Jacob deGrom bent but didn't break over 5.0 solid innings and Robinson Cano had another big game >> Read more

Robinson Cano has been one of the Mets' hottest hitters of late.

Cano went 4-for-5 with a solo home run, helping power the Mets to a 6-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Sunday.

Since June 28, Cano has a .395 batting average with two home runs and four RBIs. In those 11 games, he has raised his batting line from .222/.270/.358 to .251/.295/.392.

Mets manager Mickey Callaway told left fielder Jeff McNeil what he expected when he led off in Sunday's series finale against the Marlins.

"I told him, 'I want to see an 11-pitch at-bat and then a homer, and it'll be 1-0,'" Callaway said. "And he goes, 'What about a first-pitch homer and make it 1-0?' I said, 'Well it better be a homer.'"

It was.

Mets shortstop Amed Rosario was not in the starting lineup in Sunday's 6-2 win against the Marlins, one day removed from an apparent lack of hustle on a fly ball. 

There were mixed messages as to why Adeiny Hechavarria started at shortstop over Rosario for the rubber match.

Prior to the game, manager Mickey Callaway told reporters that Rosario had the day off, however, Wayne Randazzo said multiple times that Callaway informed him that Rosario was benched for not running out a fly ball in the eighth inning on Saturday.

Robinson Cano's bat stayed hot after knocking a two-run homer in the eighth inning game-winning home run on Saturday. Cano had four hits on Sunday in the Mets' 6-2 win over the Marlins. >> Box score

Five things to know from Sunday's game

1) It only took one pitch for the Mets' offense to get going. Jeff McNeil knocked the first throw from Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara over the right field fence, giving his team the early lead. McNeil has notched a hit in each game this series against the Marlins, including a two-hit outing on Saturday. McNeil entered Sunday's game batting .350, which leads the National League. McNeil also hit a first-pitch homer on July 3 against the Yankees this year. 

2) Robinson Cano could be changing his fortunes on the road this year. Cano carried his home run momentum into Sunday, as he nearly hit for the cycle with four hits on the day. Cano doubled, singled, knocked a solo home run, and then singled again against the defensive shift in his final plate appearance. 

Jeff McNeil isn't known for his power as much as he is for his ability to hit anything. On Sunday, he wasted no time reminding everyone of his power as he gave the Mets the 1-0 lead with a home run on the game's first pitch from Sandy Alcantara. 

The Mets' leadoff man isn't a stranger to hitting a quick dinger, though. 

During the recent Subway Series against the Yankees, McNeil knocked a home run on the first Yankees' pitch from Domingo German on July 3 at Citi Field.

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...

Matt Harvey, Angels

Harvey took the mound for the Angels on Saturday for the first time in seven weeks after being sidelined with an upper back strain. The right-hander turned in a strong performance, going 5.2 innings and allowing one run on four hits and three walks while striking out three against the Mariners. The run did not come until a sac fly in the sixth, opening the game with five scoreless frames. 

The Mets (41-51, 14.5 GB in NL East, 6.5 GB of second Wild Card) picked up a win on Saturday and will take on the Marlins in the rubber game of the three-game series on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. in Miami. 

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

Behind Noah Syndergaard and Robinson Cano, the Mets managed a 4-2 win over the Marlins. >> Read more

On a 1-1 pitch in the eighth inning on Saturday, Robinson Cano sent a pitch into the upper deck behind right field of Marlins Park. He also sent his team home with a 4-2 win thanks to the two-run homer.

Mets manager Mickey Callaway said following the win that the outcome was just what the doctor ordered for the 36-year-old infielder, who's had a tough season on the road, specifically. 

"Yeah, he needed it," Callaway said. "Obviously we've talked about his struggles on the road and to get a go-ahead home run, has to make him feel good tonight."

Noah Syndergaard picked up his seventh win of the season on Saturday against the Marlins. The Mets pitcher navigated his way through seven innings, with nine strikeouts along the way.

Unfortunately for Syndergaard, one good outing doesn't make up for an entire team's season. Unless the Mets' fortunes don't change in a hurry, trade rumors will continue to grow and there's already been plenty with Syndergaard's name attached to them. 

After the 4-2 win, in which Snydergaard said his slider felt the best it's been all season, the right-hander addressed potentially being dealt before the July 31 trade deadline. Personally, Syndergaard would much rather stay in New York. 

Coming out of the All-Star break, Mets skipper Mickey Callaway said that the lineups would likely be more fluid on a nightly basis.

He delivered on that statement on Saturday, moving Michael Conforto up to the second spot in the lineup, hoping to get Conforto more pitches to hit in front of Pete Alonso.

"Pete's behind me today? Yeah, so I'll probably get some pitches to hit," Conforto said before the game. "They're not going to want to face that big boy behind me."

Noah Syndergaard pitched seven dominant innings, and Robinson Cano powered the Mets to a 4-2 win over the Marlins on Saturday. >> Box score

Five things to know from Saturday's game

1) Cano has drawn his share of criticism during his first year with the Mets, but he came up clutch in a huge spot on Saturday. With the game tied in the top of the eighth, Cano slammed a two-run home run to right field off of Nick Anderson to put the Mets on top 4-2. Cano's fifth home run of the year was his first this season with runners on base. 

2) Syndergaard had his best outing in over a month. Syndergaard had pitched to 5.94 ERA in his last three starts, but he was terrific on Saturday, allowing just two runs on five hits. He struck out nine Marlins and did not walk a single batter. He left the game after seven innings with the game tied 2-2, but Cano's blast put him in line for the win.

With two outs in the third inning, the Mets didn't waver against the Marlins on Friday and started off the second half of the season on a positive note.

Jeff McNeil started right where he left off the first half of the season, singling to center field. Then back-to-back walks from JD Davis and Pete Alonso, respectively, juiced the bases against Miami pitcher Caleb Smith for Wilson Ramos. He delivered.

Ramos kept the rally going and had a hard-hit grounder to the left side of the infield. Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas lunged to his right on the play, but Ramos' shot had too much on it to haul it in.

Steven Matz' tenure in the Mets' bullpen is over, as he's set to return to his spot in the team's starting rotation on Wednesday against the Twins.

The lefty will reportedly rejoin the starting staff, per Newsday's report on Saturday. Manager Mickey Callaway made the decision to move Matz to the bullpen prior to the All-Star break and at the time the bench boss indicated the move could be short lived.

"It's going to allow guys in the starting rotation to not have too many days off, so they can stay effective. Coming out of the break, we can reset whatever we need to," Callaway said.

The Boston Red Sox have gotten the wheels spinning for this year's MLB trade deadline.

The team announced on Saturday afternoon that they had acquired starting pitcher Andrew Cashner from the Orioles in exchange for two minor leaguers. Cashner has pitched to a 9-3 record with a 3.83 ERA in 17 starts with the Orioles this season.

This trade may have a ripple effect for both the Mets and Yankees. 

The Mets (40-51, 14.5 GB in NL East) continue their three-game set with the Marlins (34-55, 19.5 GB in NL East) on Saturday at 6:10 p.m.

Mets notes

The Mets .347 road winning percentage ranks 28th in baseball and last in the National League. ... The Mets have struggled as of late against the NL East, dropping 11 of their last 14 games against divisional foes. ... The Mets have shown some power on the road lately, belting 19 home runs in their last nine road games.

Now that Brodie Van Wagenen has made his concession speech, admitting that his "come get us" bravado resulted in "they came and got us," the Mets can officially move on to the brainstorming portion of the schedule.

That is, everything they do over the final two and a half months should be with a vision of 2020 and beyond in mind, rather than trying to squeeze the most possible wins out of a lost season. 

Mostly that means getting answers to as many questions about the future of this team as possible. I'd start with these 10: 

I wanna believe. But, despite what Mickey Callaway has told reporters, I know it's very unlikely the Mets will claw their way back into the Wild Card race.

Therefore, if Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen -- who addressed the media Friday -- concludes that the Mets will again finish with a losing record, he will give serious thought to trading more than just a few players this summer.

The fact is, while some on this roster helped get the Mets to a World Series in 2015, most were not part of that squad. And those that were on that team are either due for major increases in salary or they're about to be or will be free agents very soon.

The Mets (40-51, 14.5 GB in NL East, 7.0 GB of second Wild Card) dropped the first game of the second half of the season against the Marlins, but will return to action on Saturday at 6:10 p.m.

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

The Mets took the field behind Jason Vargas to open the second half of the season in Miami, but the southpaw ran into trouble in the third, allowing four runs en route to an 8-4 loss to the Marlins. >> Read more

Mets pitchers allowed three home runs as they fell to the Marlins 8-4 to start the second half. >> Box score

Five things to know from Friday's game

1) Jason Vargas' night got off to a strong start, as he retired the first six batters he faced. The lefty got into trouble in the third, though, after the Mets had just given him a 2-0 lead. Jorge Alfaro singled and stole second to start the inning, and he came around to score on a Miguel Rojas sac fly. Then, another former Met struck again, as Curtis Granderson lofted a two-run home run to give the Marlins the 3-2 lead. The next batter, Garrett Cooper, homered as well, staking the Marlins to a 4-3 lead. Vargas ended up going five innings for the Mets, allowing six earned runs.

The Mets started the second half of their season losing to the only team with a worse record than them in the National League, the Miami Marlins. There's plenty of games to go until changes are made one way or another, but such an outing is not going to quell the rumor mill.

Within those rumors which have picked up steam in recent weeks, the name Joe Girardi is the most prominent one connected to the team. 

General manger Brodie Van Wagenen said prior to Friday's game that Mickey Callaway's job is safe. But that won't change much in regard to public opinion, and it won't change the Girardi-Mets connection floating about.

With two outs in the third inning, the Mets didn't waver against the Marlins on Friday and started off the second half of the season on a positive note.

Jeff McNeil started right where he left off the first half of the season, singling to center field. Then back-to-back walks from JD Davis and Pete Alonso, respectively, juiced the bases against Miami pitcher Caleb Smith for Wilson Ramos. He delivered.

Ramos kept the rally going and had a hard-hit grounder to the left side of the infield. Marlins shortstop Miguel Rojas lunged to his right on the play, but Ramos' shot had too much on it to haul it in.

"Come get us."

These words, spoken by New York Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen in January, were supposed to be the rallying cry for the 2019 Mets season. After two seasons out of the playoffs and several offseason additions, the rookie GM targeted the rest of his division, taunting the National League East to take down the Mets.

Indeed, "come get us" has become a rallying cry for the Mets this season - just not in the way it was intended to.

Carlos Beltran has played on both sides of the Subway Series rivalry.

Before Friday's Yankees-Blue Jays game in the Bronx, Beltran spoke about the outlooks for both teams, including the dynamic young duo of Pete Alonso and Aaron Judge.

"I think it's positive for baseball, it's positive for the Mets organization to have a guy that they can build around," Beltran said of Alonso. "Thirty homers as a rookie, I think that's impressive. All I can wish for Alonso is to stay healthy and continue to do his thing."

Matt Kemp's tenure with the New York Mets has ended before he ever made it to the big leauges.

The 34-year-old veteran was signed by the Mets to a minor-league deal on May 24th. The signing came at a time when the Mets were desperate for outfield depth, as Michael Conforto was missing games due to a concussion and Jeff McNeil was on the IL with a hamstring injury.

Mickey Callaway is not going anywhere, at least not this season. 

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen, addressing reporters on a number of topics before Friday's game against the Miami Marlins, was asked if Callaway is his manager the rest of the season.

"Absolutely," he said. 

Doug Williams and Andy Martino drop a new episode of Shea Anything, and examine why the talent on the Mets isn't translating into more wins.

They guys also look ahead to see if the future Mets should be built around offense, and to see if Brodie Van Wagenen will sell any pieces in 2019 with an eye on trying to win in 2020.

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN

The Mets (40-50, 13.5 GB in NL East) open their second half schedule with a three-game series against the Marlins (33-55, 19.5 GB in NL East), starting on Friday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Mets notes

The Mets went 38-30 in the second half of their schedule in 2018. ... The road has not been friendly to the Mets this season, as they've gone just 17-31 away from Citi Field. ... Jeff McNeil is batting .413 with 15 runs, four home runs, and 16 RBIs over his last 18 games. ... Pete Alonso set a new NL rookie record with 68 RBIs before the All-Star break.

Talking before the Mets opened the second half of the season in Miami, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen said he is "incredibly disappointed" about where the team is and all but confirmed they will be sellers in advance of the July 31 trade deadline. 

"We have to face our reality," Van Wagenen said. "We have to be open-minded. We're gonna be thoughtful and measured in terms of what we do as we approach the deadline. ... our mission statement doesn't change."

That "mission statement" is about winning now and in the future, and that is something Van Wagenen said he is not abandoning. In other words, there will not be a full rebuild commencing before July 31.

Another one for Jed Lowrie.

The Mets infielder suffered another injury during his most recent rehab efforts. New York general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said on Friday that Lowrie recently suffered a calf muscle strain, describing it as a minor setback. 

"A low grade calf strain," Van Wagenen called the injury.

The Mets have designated Wilmer Font for assignment in advance of their second-half opening series against the Marlins on Friday night.

Font, who was acquired earlier this season for prospect Neraldo Catalina, was replaced on the 25-man roster by Chris Mazza.

The 29-year-old Mazza was sharp in his only appearance with the Mets this season, which was also his big league debut. In 4.0 innings, Mazza allowed one run on five hits while walking none and striking out two.

Former Mets RHP Dwight Gooden was arrested for cocaine possession on June 7 in New Jersey, according to the New York Post.

The 54-year-old was charged with third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to the Post. He was also charged with being under the influence. 

Gooden has battled substance abuse issues since 1986, when he missed the Mets' World Championship parade due to his drug use. He then missed the start of the 1987 season in order to undergo treatment for cocaine abuse. He was also suspended by MLB in 1994 for violating his drug aftercare program. 

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen will speak with reporters before the team opens the second half of the season against the Marlins on Friday night in Miami.

With the Mets at 40-50 and the trade deadline less than three weeks away, here are five questions Van Wagenen should be asked...

What is the trade deadline strategy?

With the Mets not in contention, the expectation is that pending free agent Zack Wheeler will be traded. Also on the block should be fellow pending free agents Todd Frazier and Jason Vargas. But what is Van Wagenen's strategy beyond selling off the obvious pieces?

Teams have recently come calling about Noah Syndergaard, with SNY's Andy Martino reporting that a trade at some point feels inevitable. While it seems likelier that Syndergaard -- who isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2021 season -- could be moved after the season, would Van Wagenen pull the trigger now if he's blown away? What about dangling pieces like Seth Lugo and Dominic Smith? And is there any chance the Mets would go full rebuild and deal Jacob deGrom?

With the Mets entering the second half of the 2019 season 10 games under .500, SNY's Doug Williams gives a somber recap of the team's first half of the season in his latest diary entry.

But Williams also ponders what exactly could make the rest of the remaining games exciting for fans.

Dilson Herrera let his glove do the talking at the Triple-A All-Star Game on Wedneday.

The New York Mets' prospect produced one of the game's best outings thanks to his defense.

In the top of the fifth inning, Herrera made a diving play at second base moving from his left to his right shortly after entering the game: