<
        >

          New York Mets

          Morning Briefing: So what do Mets do for encore?

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterJul 25, 2015, 10:30 AM
            Close
              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
              Follow Adam on Twitter »  Chat archive »
            Follow on X

          NEW YORK --

          FIRST PITCH: So what can the New York Mets possibly have in store for us now to top a frenetic past 24 hours?

          Newly acquired Juan Uribe and Kelly Johnson are due to join the Mets for Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field.

          Matt Harvey (8-7, 3.19 ERA) takes the mound for the Amazin’s in the 7:10 p.m. ET game. The Dodgers have not yet declared their starter.

          Originally slated to start on Friday, Zack Greinke is now expected to return from paternity leave and face the Mets on Sunday.

          Having stumbled to a 2-6 record to open the second half, the Mets trail the Washington Nationals by three games for first place in the division. The Amazin’s trail the San Francisco Giants by 3½ games for the second wild-card slot.

          SATURDAY’S NEWS REPORTS:

          • The Mets acquired Uribe and Johnson from the Atlanta Braves on Friday in a swap for minor league right-handers John Gant and Rob Whalen. The Mets also received cash from Atlanta to cover a portion of the $3.15 million remaining on the contracts. A scout labeled the deal a salary dump by the Braves and described the package the Mets surrendered as “very modest.” To clear two roster spots, John Mayberry Jr. was designated for assignment and Danny Muno was demoted to Triple-A Las Vegas. In a procedural move, the Mets also shifted David Wright to the 60-day DL. Not yet clear: Is Uribe the full-time third baseman, which would push Daniel Murphy to second base and Wilmer Flores back to shortstop? Watch video of Johnson reacting to the trade at AJC.com. Read more in the Post, Daily News, Newsday and at NJ.com and MLB.com.

          • Michael Conforto earned a promotion from Double-A Binghamton Friday morning. He went 0-for-3 with an RBI in his major league debut and became the 1,000th player ever to appear for the Mets. Michael Cuddyer finally landed on the disabled list with a bone bruise below his left knee. Cuddyer does not believe the injury is season-ending. Also in a procedural move, the Mets transferred Rafael Montero to the 60-day DL. Read more on Conforto’s promotion in the Post, Journal, Newsday, Record and at NJ.com and MLB.com and on Cuddyer landing on the DL in the Post, Daily News, Newsday and MLB.com.

          • Jonathon Niese decided to pitch with his wife Leah about to give birth in Toledo, Ohio. The southpaw’s start went poorly, though. Niese allowed six runs and lasted a season-low three innings Friday. He then watched his son Tatum’s birth on FaceTime before flying on a private jet to join his family. Logan Verrett was scratched from his start for Las Vegas and appears likely to join the Mets with Niese on paternity leave. Read more in the Post and at NJ.com and MLB.com.

          • Ex-Met Justin Turner did not gloat, but his RBI double and homer helped fuel the Dodgers to a 7-2 win against the Mets on Friday. Read game recaps in the Post, Daily News, Times, Newsday, Record and at NJ.com and MLB.com.

          • Columnist David Lennon in Newsday asserts the Mets nearly pulled off a trade for Milwaukee’s Gerardo Parra late Thursday.

          • Travis d'Arnaud’s initial rehab game with Class A St. Lucie was rained out for a second straight day on Friday.

          • Columnist Kevin Kernan in the Post catches up with Tom Seaver during Hall of Fame weekend in Cooperstown. “I follow … the game and I am critical,’’ Seaver tells Kernan. “When I’m looking at the numbers of innings pitched and they’ve taken these guys out too quickly, that’s the worst thing. It is so obvious. The computer has won this fight. If you are going to build a stud muffin, you leave him out there. You want to get 100 percent of him. You don’t want to get 80 percent of him. You want to get the guy who charges ahead. I understand you have to protect your money. But you are not taking that athlete to a higher plane, which he deserves. He deserves the opportunity.”

          • The display case featuring Pedro Martinez memorabilia at the Hall of Fame includes a black No. 45 Mets jersey he wore on Sept. 3, 2007, Mark Herrmann writes in Newsday.

          • Columnist Larry Brooks in the Post reacts to Conforto’s promotion and the trade with the Braves.

          • Joseph Staszewski in the Post writes about fans creating a GoFundMe account to try to fund the Mets acquiring a bat.

          • Michael Powell in the Times writes about his experience watching Clayton Kershaw mow down the Mets on Thursday.

          • Mets officials brought up rehabbing Zack Wheeler in trade talks but are unlikely to deal him, according to the Daily News.

          • Subbing for Verrett, Tyler Pill allowed seven runs and was knocked out in the first inning for Las Vegas in a 12-2 loss at Reno. Binghamton topped Trenton in 17 innings on Joe Benson’s RBI single. Eudor Garcia went 4-for-5 with three doubles, a homer and five RBIs as Savannah routed Hagerstown, 16-5. Ivan Wilson’s two-run homer helped lift Kingsport past Elizabethton, 5-1. Read the full minor recap here.

          • From the bloggers … Mets Report wants more moves beyond Friday’s trade.

          BIRTHDAYS: Billy Wagner turns 44. ... Where's Guillermo Mota? He’s celebrating his 42nd birthday.

          TWEET OF THE DAY:

          YOU’RE UP: Are you most excited about the trade with the Braves, Conforto’s promotion or Mayberry getting DFA’d?