New York Mets

The New York Mets are reportedly moving toward finding their next team president.

Andy Martino of SNY explained Sandy Alderson's contract expires at the end of the year and he never wanted to hold the position he took in 2020 for long. Therefore, the Mets have already started interviewing candidates to take his place even if "no hire is imminent."

While Alderson's contract expires at the end of December, he may stay in his president role if a process that "could easily stretch into next year" is still ongoing. What's more, he plans on remaining with the Mets in an advisory capacity even after there is a new president.

The franchise confirmed the timeline when it announced he would step down as president after a successor is found:

Martino reported New York has interviewed candidates with business backgrounds instead of baseball because the president oversees various aspects of the organization and not just the baseball part like a president of baseball operations would.

This is not Alderson's first stint with the Mets.

He was the general manager from 2010 until 2018, when he stepped down because of health concerns. New York went to the playoffs just twice during that stretch, although it advanced to the 2015 World Series before losing to the Kansas City Royals.

Alderson then returned to the Mets in 2020 in his current position and has helped build a contender that has led the National League East for much of the season and is currently a half-game ahead of the reigning champion Atlanta Braves.

Alderson has plenty of baseball experience outside of the Mets. He was the general manager of the Oakland Athletics from 1983 to 1997, the vice president of baseball operations for the league and then the CEO of the San Diego Padres from 2005 to 2009.

New York Mets star pitcher Max Scherzer will be placed on the injured list after exiting his last start with fatigue, manager Buck Showalter told reporters on Wednesday.

It's been that type of year for Scherzer. The veteran ace missed seven weeks in his debut season with the Mets after suffering a strained left oblique, and he caused a stir on Sept. 3 after he was forced to leave a start early with left side fatigue.

Luckily for the Mets, that injury didn't end up being serious. Scherzer almost immediately downplayed it.

"There's nothing that's sharp that's grabby," he told reporters the day after leaving that start. "It's kind of just dull everywhere—it's kind of everywhere except the oblique."

When healthy, the 38-year-old has been predictably excellent, going 9-4 with a 2.26 ERA across 127.2 innings.

His offseason addition—the Mets signed him to a three-year, $130 million deal—combined with the long-awaited return of Jacob deGrom from a stress reaction on his right scapula has given the Mets one of the best one-two punches in Major League Baseball.

That duo has paired with New York's fearsome lineup to make them one of baseball's true title contenders, and Scherzer's return in the middle of the month should help ease concerns that he won't be ready for the playoffs.

New York Mets reliever Edwin Diaz is considered the "official" Major League Baseball user of the song "Narco" by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet, so Atlanta Braves catcher William Contreras might want to find a new walk-up song.

Idir Makhlaf, one of the two members of Blasterjaxx, told MLB Network last week that the Dutch duo endorses Diaz's use of the song when he runs out of the bullpen and onto the Citi Field diamond.

"For us, Edwin is the official one, that's for sure," Makhlaf said, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. "You can't have more, right? That's impossible. You have to choose your own song."

Makhlaf's statement was noteworthy considering Contreras has used "Narco" as a walk-up song throughout the 2022 season, much to the dismay of Mets fans.

"Narco" has become a fan favorite in Queens, and Timmy Trumpet attended two Mets games this week to play his part of the song live as Diaz came out of the bullpen:

Per the Post, Blasterjaxx is trying to secure visas to travel to the United States, perhaps during the MLB postseason. If the duo can play the viral hit alongside Timmy Trumpet at a Mets game, it will be one of the best moments in baseball.

Diaz is one of the top relievers in MLB. He has 29 saves with a 1.52 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 101 strikeouts in 53.1 innings across 53 appearances.

Jacob deGrom is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, and he's aiming to be paid as such on his next deal.

The New York Mets ace is expected to opt out of his $30.5 million player option for the 2023 campaign and is believed to be eyeing a deal worth $50 million per year on his next contract, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

DeGrom signed a five-year, $137.5 million extension with the Mets in March 2019 and has been insistent on declining his 2023 player option. However, he said in March that he "loves" being a Met and would be interested in staying with the club for his entire career.

In an interview with Zach Braziller of the New York Post ahead of Saturday's 3-0 win over the Colorado Rockies, Mets owner Steven Cohen said the organization plans to do whatever is necessary to keep deGrom in Queens for years to come.

"Listen, he certainly has the right to do that. We love Jacob, and I think he's the best pitcher in baseball," Cohen said. "We'll do whatever we can to make sure he stays. But it's his decision, not ours."

Cohen also told Braziller that while the organization hasn't had talks with deGrom yet on a new contract, they plan on making a serious offer to bring him back for 2023 and beyond.

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, all right," Cohen said. "Right now, we're trying to win our division, and we're going to sit down with Jake and try to figure it out at the end of the season."

DeGrom missed the first four months of the 2022 campaign recovering from a shoulder injury, but he has dominated since returning, posting a 4-1 record, 1.98 ERA, 0.55 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 36.1 innings across six starts.

It's a continuation of what has been a legendary career for the 34-year-old, who has won Rookie of the Year, two Cy Young awards, an ERA title and been named an All-Star four times.

DeGrom has been a staple in the Mets rotation since making his debut in 2014 and is the anchor of a group that also includes Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt, Carlos Carrasco and Taijuan Walker.

The Mets are first in the NL East with an 84-48 record and are primed to make a deep playoff run that they hope will end with their first World Series title since 1986. If deGrom can help the franchise accomplish the feat, it will likely have no hesitation in paying the ace what he wants.

Veteran reliever Dellin Betances, who has pitched for both the New York Yankees and New York Mets, has retired from MLB after 10 seasons, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

Betances had most recently been a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. In 15 appearances for the team's Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City, he recorded an 11.08 ERA with 12 strikeouts and 14 walks, per Blake Harris.

Betances last appeared in the majors in 2021 for the Mets, pitching just one inning before a right shoulder impingement caused him to go on the injured list and eventually led to season-ending surgery. His last full season came in 2020, when he struggled across 15 appearances with a 7.71 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 11.2 innings pitched.

Betances' injury issues began in 2019 with his first shoulder impingement. He didn't make his season debut until September of that year, but his only outing on the mound was ended when he suffered a torn Achilles.

At one point in his career, Betances was one of the most feared late-inning relievers in MLB. He was selected to four straight All-Star Games while he was with the Yankees from 2014 to 2017. During that stretch and including 2018, he notched 100 or more strikeouts each year while pitching less than 100 innings.

Born in Manhattan, Betances fulfilled a dream by playing for the Yankees after growing up as a fan of the team.

"This is a dream come true, to be honest with you," Betances told ESPN during his first major-league spring training in 2011. "It is kind of surreal to watch these guys you were watching on TV and watch on the stadium and now you have the chance to play with them and help them win."

Mets starting pitcher Taijuan Walker left Tuesday's game against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning with back spasms.

He was the second straight Mets starter to leave a game early, after Carlos Carrasco left two innings into Monday's contest with an oblique injury that landed him on the 15-day Injured List.

All things considered, though, the Mets will likely feel relieved that Walker isn't dealing with anything more serious than back spasms.

The 30-year-old has had a strong season, coming into Tuesday's start with a 10-3 record and a 3.43 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 85 strikeouts in 110.1 innings. He's been an important figure in the team's rotation as the Mets—who came into Tuesday with a 75-41 record, 4.5 games ahead of the Atlanta Braves—look to win a title.

But injuries have become a concern. The Mets even called up much-hyped third base prospect Brett Baty with Luis Guillorme injured and Eduardo Escobar's issues with left oblique tightness.

That will give Mets fans something to be excited about amidst the injuries. Between Double-A and Triple-A this season, the 22-year-old is hitting .315 with 19 home runs and 60 RBI.

Baty won't help ease any rotation issues if Walker is forced to the IL, of course. The hope will be that the team can tread water there, with players like David Peterson and Trevor Williams earning more starts. Add in Jacob deGrom's return to action earlier this month, and the Mets have options.

Still, Walker avoiding the IL altogether would be a major plus.

The New York Mets have called up third baseman Brett Baty, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

The 22-year-old is expected to join the team during the ongoing four-game series against the Atlanta Braves.

Baty is considered the Mets' No. 2 prospect and the 18th-best prospect in the minors, according to MLB.com. He hit .312 with a .406 on-base percentage and 19 home runs in Double-A this season and was off to a strong start after his recent promotion to Triple-A, posting a .364 average in six games.

The 2019 first-round draft pick also participated in the Futures Game last season.

Baty will look to help the Mets maintain their lead in the National League East. They entered Tuesday with a 4.5-game lead over the Braves, who have won seven in a row including Monday's 13-1 win over New York.

The Mets needed an extra infielder after Luis Guillorme suffered a groin injury that will cost him three to four weeks, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

Manager Buck Showalter said Monday the team still wasn't planning to bring up Baty or fellow prospect Mark Vientos:

Journeyman Deven Marrero was instead added to the roster, although the plans apparently changed when Eduardo Escobar was scratched from Tuesday's lineup.

Escobar and Guillorme have combined to start 111 of 116 games at third base for the Mets, with the since-traded J.D. Davis the only other player in the lineup this season. It created an opening for Baty to reach The Show and show what he can do at this level.

New York Mets pitcher Carlos Carrasco is expected to miss three to four weeks after suffering a low-grade left oblique strain.

The right-hander was forced to leave Monday's start against the Atlanta Braves after two innings, allowing three runs on four hits before exiting. His start was interrupted by a long rain delay in the second inning.

"It just got tight a little bit and I don't want to push more," Carrasco told reporters after the game.

In 23 starts this season, Carrasco is 13-5 with a 3.92 ERA and 1.30 WHIP.

It's been a bounce-back season for the 35-year-old, who had a 6.04 ERA across 12 starts in his first year with the Mets. New York acquired him in the 2021 trade with Cleveland that landed Francisco Lindor, although injuries have been a major story for the veteran pitcher.

Carrasco's 126.1 innings pitched in 2022 are his most since 2018, although the latest issue will keep him out into September.

It could represent a significant loss for the Mets as they try to secure their first playoff appearance since 2016. They entered Tuesday with a 4.5-game lead over the Braves in the NL East with three more games against their division rival this week.

The Mets have depth in the rotation, which is led by Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom. David Peterson would be a logical replacement for Carrasco with his 3.30 ERA in 18 appearances this season (14 starts), although he was optioned to Triple-A earlier this month.

Trevor Williams has also made eight starts this season and could fill in again if needed.

New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom relished his return to the Citi Field mound Sunday.

"Stepping out there was a little bit emotional," deGrom told reporters after a 5-2 win over the Atlanta Braves. "A big ovation, kind of took a second, took it all in and then tried to focus."

The right-hander went 5.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on one hit and striking out 12 batters.

DeGrom made his long-awaited season debut Tuesday in a 5-1 road loss to the Washington Nationals. He had been out for more than a year because of forearm and elbow issues and then a stress reaction in his shoulder.

Despite his lengthy layoff, the two-time Cy Young winner has hardly missed a beat. Any fears he might have lost some velocity have been unfounded.

Some fans were left underwhelmed by New York's last-minute business ahead of the MLB trade deadline. General manager Billy Eppler opted for marginal upgrades instead of any transformative deals, adding Mychal Givens, Tyler Naquin, Daniel Vogelbach and Darin Ruf.

Getting a healthy deGrom back is far more impactful than any of those acquisitions. They now have perhaps the best starting pitcher in baseball again right in time for the stretch run.

The Mets have the best World Series odds (16.9 percent) of any team on FanGraphs, in part because manager Buck Showalter can lean on a playoff rotation of deGrom, Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt.

This year has been quite a contrast for the Mets.

Fans have gotten used to seeing deGrom shine on teams that fell short of expectations, as the Mets haven't made the playoffs since 2016. Now, they're on track to post the second-highest winning percentage in franchise history despite being without deGrom for the first few months of the season.

The 34-year-old will now get to have an active role in the Mets' pennant chase.

One collector spent $180,000 at auction for one of the most famous contracts in baseball history signed by...Bobby Bonilla.

While most notable collectables involve Hall of Famers, Bonilla's deal with the New York Mets gets recognition thanks to the yearly reminders every July 1, also known as "Bobby Bonilla Day."

The six-time All-Star agreed to deferred compensation on his initial deal with the Mets that pays him $1,193,248.20 each year through 2035—34 years after his last game in the majors.

According to ESPN's Dan Hajducky, the addendum to Bonilla's contract went up for sale Saturday at Goldin Auctions and saw 15 bids, with the final total reaching $180,000.

The auction winner did get a variety of other prizes, including a signed baseball, a game-used bat and a one-of-one Bobby Bonilla contract NFT. They will also have a Zoom call with Bonilla and Dennis Gilbert, the player's agent who negotiated the deal.

The package features a day with Bonilla and a Mets game at Citi Field.

It's clear someone is truly getting a one-of-a-kind baseball experience.