Mets ace Jacob deGrom, in the midst of one of the most dominant stretches in recent memory, turned 30 years old today.

DeGrom is awesome, so let's celebrate his birthday with videos of him being awesome.

Click below to see...

Mets ace Jacob deGrom did his thing, but it was Brandon Nimmo who stole the show during New York's 12-2 win over the Rockies on Monday night in Colorado. 

Nimmo, who led off the game with an inside the park home run (because of course he did), finished the night 4-for-6 with two homers and four RBI. 

The Happiest Man in Baseball -- now hitting .287/.410/.603 -- flashed his grin throughout the night, and was featured on the back pages in the morning. Click below to see...

All season long, Fios, the 100% fiber-optic network, is bringing superfans closer to their Mets thanever before.

Not only do you get an amazin' HD picture so every game feels like you're in Citi Field, but now, every Tuesday home games, Fios customers can enter for a chance to win Mets tickets, exclusive access and experiences at Citi Field through the SNY Superfan Sweepstakes, courtesy of Fios.

For official rules and to enter, visit sny.tv/fios.  

No purchase necessary.

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter | It's all too easy to manufacture drama in a baseball season, to claim for the sake of a storyline that a particular stretch of games carries meaning.

But in the case of the Mets, these next few weeks are truly pivotal, and could determine the direction of the franchise for years to come.

My understanding is that the team is currently engaged in internal discussions about whether to take offers for Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard. I've been on record calling two friends of mine crazy for suggesting that this is a good idea, and calling on the team to add Manny Machado -- but the purpose of today's column is to provide information, not my opinion...

The Mets opened their series with the Rockies on the road in grand fashion Monday night. Led by the hot bat of Brandon Nimmo, the Mets plated 12 runs on 15 hits on their way to victory. 

Brandon Nimmo homered twice and had four hits and a career-high four RBIs in support of Jacob deGrom as the Mets rolled to their third straight win, 12-2, against the Rockies on Monday night at Coors Field.

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

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

1) Nimmo led off the game with an inside-the-park home run, singled in the fifth and went deep again in the seventh for the second multi-homer game of his career. He added a two-run single during the Mets' six-run ninth inning to match his career high with four hits. He became the first Met to hit an inside-the-park homer since Ruben Tejada on Sept. 2, 2015. His 10 home runs since May 23 are tied with Seattle's Nelson Cruz and Houston's Evan Gattis for the most in the Majors.

Mets' RHP Jacob deGrom won his first game since May 18 by striking out seven batters in eight strong innings in Monday's 12-2 win against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

DeGrom (5-2) allowed two runs (one earned) and five hits as he threw at least seven innings for the seventh consecutive start.

In deGrom's five-start winless streak, he recorded a 1.25 ERA and had 44 strikeouts in 36 innings, giving up six runs (five earned) in that span. However, the Mets scored more than one run just once in those starts.

On the season premiere of The Amazin' Life, presented by Coca-Cola, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling literally switch bodies before a game!

Outfielder Brandon Nimmo became the first Mets player to hit a leadoff inside-the-park home run in nine years in Monday's game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

Nimmo hit Tyler Anderson's first pitch of the game to deep right-center field and rounded the bases in 14.7 seconds, the fastest time in the majors this season, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

The last Mets player to hit an inside-the-park home run was Ruben Tejada in 2015.

The Mets (30-38) open a four-game series against the Rockies (34-37) on Monday night in Colorado at 8:40 on SNY.

Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard (strained right index finger) resumed his throwing program on Monday and will increase his throwing distance on Tuesday, manager Mickey Callaway said. 

"I would venture to say it's not going to be a long, drawn-out process," Callaway added.

Syndergaard had been slated to return from the DL to start last Sunday against the Yankees, but was scratched from that start before receiving a second opinion on his injury. 

Mets OF Yoenis Cespedes (hip, quad) "checked out well" during physical therapy on Monday and may ramp up his activity on Tuesday, but is not yet cleared for baseball activity, manager Mickey Callaway said. 

Cespedes played two rehab games with Binghamton last week before suffering a setback.

The 32-year-old Cespedes has been out since May 14, when he suffered a mild strain of his right hip flexor -- an issue that GM Sandy Alderson recently suggested was chronic.  

On the heels of a three-strikeout game as he returned from an upper butt/hip issue, the Mets had moved Jay Bruce down to seventh in the lineup on Monday before scratching him due to hip soreness.

Bruce said Monday that he hates the idea of going on the DL, but will be reevaluated on Tuesday with a DL stint on the table.

He did not play on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday due to the issue. He has also been playing through plantar fasciitis in his left foot, and said Monday that it was still bothering him.

The Mets last week promoted Triple-A infielder Jeff McNeil, who has become a popular, in-demand minor-leaguer among online fans and the prospect media.

The public interest in McNeil, 26, has been sparked by his late-blooming, left-handed power numbers, which has him looking like a totally different hitter than he was in 2015.

Back then, two years after being drafted with the organization's 12th-round pick, he has been presenting as an off-the-bench, slap-hitter. Then, in 2016, he missed time with a hernia, quad injury and needed surgery on his labrum. He entered this season having never had a true, full year to focus on his game and establish his toolbox. And so, three months ago, at 26, he had simply been looking destine to be a career minor-leaguer. 

It turns out that McNeil added muscle during his rehab from surgery, worked to add lift in his swing this past off season, and exploded in Double-A where he had a league-leading 14 home runs in Double-A before a recent promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas. 

The Mets are in dire need of a long-term, everyday catcher that can hit, deal with the pressure of New York and handle the team's pitching staff. This is why, if Sandy Alderson intends to change the complexion of the team via trade this summer, I'd like for him to find a way to get Marlins C J.T. Realmuto.

Unfortunately, to make that happen, multiple team insiders say four things need to happen...

The Mets have agreed to a deal with their recent second-round draft pick, RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson, and have assigned him to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Mets. 

The deal is worth $1.85 million, Jim Callis of MLB.com reported last week. The pick was valued at just under $1.5 million.

Woods-Richardson, 17, is a 6-foot-3, 200-pounder out of Kempner High School in Houston, Texas. 

Mets manager Mickey Callaway, a rookie manager at the helm of a team that has nose-dived while dealing with injuries to some of its most important players, has been enduring "sleepless nights."

"There's been sleepless nights,'" Callaway told Bob Nightengale of USA Today. "It's not that I'm worrying about myself, but when you see these guys working so hard, and when the results don't come, you can't help but think about that. You lay in bed at night and say, "OK, what am I going to say to this guy? What am I going to say to that guy? Do you leave him alone? Do you let him work through it?"

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | It's understandable that Callaway had sleepless nights as the Mets' stretch of almost impossible to believe offensive ineptitude rolled on. There have also been major injuries Callaway has had to navigate through. Yoenis Cespedes has been out since May 13, and Noah Syndergaard hasn't pitched since May 25. Todd Frazier has also missed lots of time, and the team was without both of its starting catchers for a significant portion of the season. Meanwhile, Jay Bruce has been playing hurt and something will have to give with him soon...

The Mets are "ready to entertain trade offers for virtually everyone" on the roster, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

According to Rosenthal, the Mets would prefer to hold on to Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Robert Gsellman, and Seth Lugo, and would be more open to trading Noah Syndergaard than Jacob deGrom.

DeGrom, having the best season of his career and in the midst of one of the more dominant stretches in recent memory, is under team control through 2020, while Syndergaard is under control through 2021. 

Zack Wheeler again looked terrific on Sunday, providing further evidence he has clearly turned a physical and psychological corner in his career.

In Sunday's game, he retired 10 straight batters before the D-backs started forcing him to change his gameplan. And he did, which is what has been most impressive about his time on the mound this year. In the end, Wheeler tossed 97 pitches, went six innings, allowed two earned runs and three hits, walked two and struck out eight.

He has a 1.93 ERA in his past three starts. And, in a situation that could make only Jacob deGrom jealous, the Mets are 1-5 during Wheeler's previous five starts, despite his 3.68 ERA.

Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo hit a two-out, two-run go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning to key a comeback victory in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

Nimmo's home run off Brad Boxberger turned a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead, and Asdrubal Cabrera followed with a solo homer as the Mets won back-to-back games for the first time since May 18-21, when they won four in a row.

"To come back and get a win like that," manager Mickey Callaway told reporters after the game, "that was something that we were doing early on, feels like three years old, but that was a really good win for us."

Brandon Nimmo's two-run homer highlighted a four-run ninth inning as the Mets rallied to earn a split of their four-game series with the Diamondbacks, 5-3, on Sunday afternoon at Chase Field.

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

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

1) Down to their last out, the Mets scored four times to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 edge. Jose Bautista had a pinch-hit RBI double in front of back-to-back home runs by Brandon Nimmo and Asdrubal Cabrera. Jose Reyes reached on a bunt single to start the rally after Diamondbacks' reliever Brad Boxberger retired the first two batters of the inning. 

The Mets activated RHP Jeurys Familia from the DL for Sunday's game against the D-Backs and RHP Jacob Rhame was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Familia had been on the disabled list since June 7 with soreness in his right shoulder.

The 28-year-old Familia has a 2.48 ERA with 14 saves and 33 strikeouts this season. His last save was on May 28 when he struck out three batters in two innings of work against the Braves.

The Mets (29-38) will conclude their series with the Diamondbacks (39-31) at Chase Field on Sunday at 4:10 p.m. 

Mets OF Michael Conforto hit a three-run homer and collected four RBI during the team's win over the D-Backs on Saturday night after he made an adjustment at the plate.

"Our hitting coaches saw something, and they were right," manager Mickey Callaway said. "And he's looked totally different at the plate."

The Mets noticed that Conforto was previously overextending on pitches, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Mets LHP Steven Matz allowed just one run on six hits in 6 2/3 innings in the Mets' 5-1 win over the D-Backs on Saturday night.

Matz allowed hits in each of the first three innings before retiring the side in order in the fourth and fifth innings. The only run allowed by Matz came in the sixth inning when Nick Ahmed hit a leadoff triple and came around to score when the next batter, Paul Goldschmidt, grounded out to short.

Matz drew two quick groundouts in the seventh inning, but was pulled after giving up back-to-back singles to Deven Marrero and Daniel Descalso.

Michelle Ioannou, MetsBlog | Twitter | My father passed away from Multiple Sclerosis when I was 18 years old.

The Mets were one of our things, arguably our biggest thing. And that's why no matter how dark things may get with this team, it's more than just a game. At least for me. It's a connection back to my father. It's a reminder of all of the good times, talks, and laughs we had together. And it's a happiness that something my father and I loved and shared. I can still treasure that, despite him not being here.

My father was taking me to Shea Stadium from a very young age. We'd sit there, doing the book, and he'd explain to me what was going on. We'd get our hot dogs, our french fries, and ice cream. On extra special days, he'd even let me paint the Mets logo on my face (usually with my mother's eyeliner -- sorry if you're reading this and just finding out, ma)...

Steven Matz pitched into the seventh inning and Michael Conforto drove in four runs as the Mets ended a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 victory over the D-backs on Saturday night.

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

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

1) Matz was solid, allowing one run on six hits in 6 2/3 innings. The left-hander walked one and struck out three as he recorded his fourth quality start in his last five appearances.

2) Conforto led the offense with a homer, a double and four RBIs. The outfielder put the Mets on the board in the second inning when he launched his ninth home run of the year, driving in Wilmer Flores and Brandon Nimmo. It was Conforto's third long ball in just eight career at-bats against D-backs lefty Patrick Corbin. The 25-year-old added an RBI double off Corbin in the sixth.

Mets OF Yoenis Cespedes was "strongly considering" an offer from the Houston Astros before he re-signed with the Mets in November of 2016, which was one of the reasons why the Mets offered him a no-trade clause, reports John Harper of the New York Daily News.

Cespedes, who ultimately signed a four-year, $110 million contract, had a priority list consisting of three main factors, according to the report: He wanted to play with a contender; he sought a no-trade clause; and wanted to train near his ranch in Florida.

Furthermore, Cespedes did not enjoy playing for then-manager Terry Collins -- and that was said said to be a significant factor. 

Check back here for in-game highlights from Mets vs. Diamondbacks on Saturday night in the desert.

Mets OF Michael Conforto hit a three-run homer in the second inning to put the Mets on the board. 

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE VIDEO

In RHP David Peterson, 3B Mark Vientos, SS Andres Gimenez and 1B Peter Alonso, the Mets have four prospects that are getting the attention of rival scouts and top prospect lists.

Unfortunatley, insiders repeatedly tell me Sandy Alderson's farm system is lacking depth, despite adding six hard-throwing relievers during last summer's sell off of veterans.

"They have projectable talent to lean on and at positions they're going to need," a friend with an NL East player development department recently told me. "If those guys don't pan out, they'll be thin. But, they have a few guys that can be everyday players, no doubt."

So, what has happened to the pitching prospects Alderson acquired last summer?

Mets manager Mickey Callaway said OF Yoenis Cespedes (hip, quad) is still dealing with soreness and will not start his rehab again until Monday, reports Tim Healy of Newsday.

Cespedes, who played rehab games with Double-A Binghamton last week before suffering a setback, has not restarted any baseball activities.

The 32-year-old Cespedes has been on the disabled list since May 16 when he suffered a mild strain of his right hip flexor.

The Mets (28-38) will continue their series with the Diamondbacks (39-30) at Chase Field on Saturday at 10:10 p.m. on SNY. 

On the latest episode of Shea Anything, Doug Williams and Andy Martino check in to see where they are as far as the rebuild discussion. They also chat about the Mets offensive struggles, trade possibilities, and the ongoing issues with Jose Reyes.

Don't forget -- Doug and Andy want to 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 show

Seth Lugo couldn't carry the momentum from his last start into Arizona and the Mets lost to the D-Backs, 7-3, on Friday night.

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

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

1) Lugo came into Friday's start with 10 scoreless innings over his first two starts of the season, including a win over the Yankees on Sunday. However, he wasn't nearly as sharp from the beginning in Arizona, giving up a home run to Paul Goldschmidt on his second batter of the game. He allowed another homer to Daniel Descalso and finished with five runs in five innings.

Mets RHP Seth Lugo came into Friday night's contest in Chase Field without allowing a run in two starts this season. 

Unfortunately, he couldn't move that streak to three as the Diamondbacks figured out Lugo, who has been stellar all season for the Mets. 

It was Paul Goldschmidt in the top of the first that broke the 10-inning scoreless streak as a starter when he launched a solo homer to right center. But that wasn't the only offense the D-Backs strung together. 

Check back here for in-game highlights from Mets vs. Diamondbacks on Friday night in the desert.

Mets 3B Todd Frazier gets the road team on the board in the top of the third with an RBI double to score Seth Lugo. 

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE VIDEO

The Mets (28-37) look to bounce back against the Diamondbacks (38-30) on Froday in the desert at 9:40 p.m. on SNY. 

Mets INF Wilmer Flores is back with the team after completing his DL stint for lower back soreness. The Mets have optioned Ty Kelly to the minors to make room for Flores. 

Flores was rehabbing with Single-A Port St. Lucie on Tuesday night, where he went 1-for-3 with a double. He has been on the DL since May 28 with his back injury. 

When Flores landed on the DL, assistant GM John Ricco said Flores has dealt with a "disc" issue, which caused the soreness in his lower back. 

Mets LHP prospect David Peterson was solid in his debut for High-A St. Lucie on Thursday night, allowing two runs in 5.0 innings while allowing six hits, walking three, and striking out two. 

Peterson was promoted from Low-A Columbia earlier this week on the heels of his stellar outing last Saturday, where he struck out a career-high 10 batters in eight innings. He had a 1.82 ERA with 57 strikeouts in nine starts (59.1 innings) this season for Columbia. 

The 22-year-old Peterson, who was selected 20th overall in last June's MLB draft, is ranked No. 58 on Keith Law of ESPN's Top 100 Prospects list. 

The Mets have struck a deal with their No. 6 overall pick, high school OF Jarred Kelenic, and have assigned him to the Rookie level Gulf Coast League Mets. 

Kelenic's pick value had been projected to be $5.525 million, and the Mets signed him for $4.5 million, according to Jim Callis of MLB.com. 

The 18-year-old Kelenic, who attended Waukesha West High School in Waukesha, Wisconsin, is a left-handed hitter and thrower. 

The Mets, who were about to emerge from a long rebuild and contend for seven straight years, acquired Keith Hernandez from the St. Louis Cardinals on today's date in 1983.

In exchange, the Mets sent relievers Neil Allen and Rick Ownbey to St. Louis. 

''It's not often that you get the chance to acquire someone with the talent of Keith Hernandez,'' Mets GM Frank Cashen said after swinging the trade. ''His addition should improve our club in two areas, the starting lineup and the bench.''

The Mets made a number of free agent pick-ups this past offseason, some of whom -- such as Jay Bruce -- are struggling and some of whom - such as Anthony Swarzak - have missed significant time due to injury. But through much of the chaos of the tumultuous 2018 season, Todd Frazier has been the steady, consistent leader the Mets were looking for to man third base.

When Frazier signed a 2 year, $17 million dollar contract this February, it was the team's first step towards filling the hole left by David Wright at third base. While Frazier cannot match the statistical prowess of his perennial All-Star predecessor, nor his decade of experience as a Met, he is providing much-needed value both on and off the field.

Frazier has never had eye-popping numbers, but his performance throughout his career has been remarkably consistent. And this year is no different. His .744 OPS is just short of his career average, though notably much of that production came in hitters' havens such as Cincinnati. His .333 on base percentage is significantly higher than his career mark and, along with his impressive walk rate, demonstrates his ongoing commitment to a more patient approach at the plate that is helping him succeed as he enters his mid-thirties...

Despite three solo homers, the Mets dropped their third straight game, 6-3, in the first of four against the Diamondbacks on Thursday night at Chase Field.

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

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

1) Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto and Amed Rosario homered for the Mets, who scored in more than one inning for the first time in 10 games. Of the last 21 home runs New York has hit, 17 have been solo shots. Dominic Smith singled for New York's only other hit. 

Mets fans have a brand new, exciting challenge to check out between innings at Citi Field this season! The Citi Community Home Runs Challenge is a new in-game feature - each home game, one lucky fan at the ballpark heads down to the field to take his or her best shot at launching a t-shirt from right field into the famous Mets Home Run Apple using an oversized Citi t-shirt launcher.

There is $100 on the line for the participant to potentially take home each game - but if he or she misses, their prize money gets added to a winner-take-all pool, which accumulates until someone makes the shot. And the prize pool can accumulate quickly - one lucky fan even took home $1,200 earlier this season following a stretch of 12 misses.  

In addition to getting fans in on the action at Citi Field, the Challenge also ties back to Citi's other Community Home Runs programming at the ballpark, all of which benefits No Kid Hungry.

Each participant in the Challenge, while getting the chance to win prize money, also triggers a Citi donation of enough for No Kid Hungry to provide 1,000 meals to kids in need. And as part of the overall Citi Community Home Runs program, for each home run the Mets hit at Citi Field, Citi will donate enough for No Kid Hungry to provide 20,000 meals to kids in need.

Jason Vargas wasn't stellar against the Diamondbacks, but he wasn't awful either. 

In five innings in Arizona, Vargas allowed three runs in on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Two of the three runs were allowed on solo home runs. 

The Mets started Vargas out with a lead...