NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets are finalizing a deal to hire Arizona Diamondbacks assistant general manager Jared Porter as their general manager, according to a person familiar with the talks. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Saturday night on condition of anonymity because the agreement hadn't been announced. Other outlets also reported the hiring. Porter won three World Series in the front office for the Boston Red Sox and another with the Chicago Cubs before joining Arizona as a senior vice president and assistant GM in 2017. He's worked various roles in baseball operations, but his primary focus has been scouting. He was a director of pro scouting for Boston and Chicago. The 41-year-old Porter will work under team president Sandy Alderson, who has taken charge of baseball operations under new owner Steve Cohen. The Mets have already been aggressive following a 26-34 disappointment during the pandemic-shortened regular season. The club is closing in on a deal with free... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Starting pitcher Marcus Stroman accepted the New York Mets' $18.9 million qualifying offer Wednesday to stay with the team for 2021. The 29-year-old right-hander did not play this year, missing the start of the shortened season in late July due to a torn left calf muscle, then announcing Aug. 10 he had opted out because of the coronavirus pandemic. A native of Long Island who grew up about 50 miles from Citi Field, Stroman announced his decision the day after new Mets owner Steve Cohen held an introductory news conference. Cohen bought the team last week from the Wilpon and Katz families for a baseball-record $2.42 billion. “After watching the presser, I’m beyond excited to play for you sir,” Stroman posted on Twitter. “I could feel the excitement and passion you’re going to bring daily. Let’s go be great!” “Marcus, That is great news,” Cohen replied on Twitter. “Looking forward to meeting you soon. I will call you over the next few days to thank you.” Stroman rejoins a... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman and San Francisco starter Kevin Gausman accepted $18.9 million qualifying offers Wednesday, receiving one-year deals to stay with their teams rather than test what they could get in free agency. Four players declined qualifying offers at the 5 p.m. EST deadline: right-hander Trevor Bauer from Cincinnati, outfielder George Springer from Houston, second baseman DJ LeMahieu from the New York Yankees and catcher J.T. Realmuto from Philadelphia. If any of those players sign with a new team, his former club would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round of next year’s amateur draft or at the end of competitive balance round B. The placement depends on whether the new contract is worth $50 million or more and the revenue-sharing and luxury tax status of the team losing the player. A team signing the player would give up either its third-highest draft pick, its second-highest pick and $500,000 of international signing bonus allotment... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Pitcher Marcus Stroman accepted the New York Mets' $18.9 million qualifying offer on Wednesday to stay with the team for 2021. The 29-year-old right-hander did not play this year, missing the start of the shortened season in late July due to a torn left calf muscle, then announcing Aug. 10 he had opted out because of the coronavirus pandemic. A native of Medford on Long Island, Stroman announced his decision the day after new Mets owner Steven Cohen held an introductory news conference, Cohen bought the team last week from the Wilpon and Katz families for a baseball record $2.42 billion. “After watching the presser, I’m beyond excited to play for you sir,” Stroman posted on Twitter. “I could feel the excitement and passion you’re going to bring daily. Let’s go be great!” “Marcus, That is great news,” Cohen replied on Twitter. “Looking forward to meeting you soon. I will call you over the next few days to thank you.” Stroman projects to be part of a rotation that includes... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman and San Francisco starter Kevin Gausman accepted $18.9 million qualifying offers Wednesday, receiving one-year deals to stay with their teams rather than test what they could get in free agency. Four players declined qualifying offers at the 5 p.m. EST deadline: right-hander Trevor Bauer from Cincinnati, outfielder George Springer from Houston, second baseman DJ LeMahieu from the New York Yankees and catcher J.T. Realmuto from Philadelphia. If any of those players signs with a new team, his former club would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round of next year’s amateur draft or at the end of competitive balance round B. The placement depends on whether the new contract is worth $50 million or more and the revenue-sharing and luxury tax status of the team losing the player. A team signing the player would give up either its third-highest draft pick, its second-highest pick and $500,000 of international signing bonus... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman and San Francisco starter Kevin Gausman accepted $18.9 million qualifying offers Wednesday, receiving one-year deals to stay with their teams rather than test what they could get in free agency. Four players declined qualifying offers at the 5 p.m. EST deadline: right-hander Trevor Bauer from Cincinnati, outfielder George Springer from Houston, second baseman DJ LeMahieu from the New York Yankees and catcher J.T. Realmuto from Philadelphia. If any of those players signs with a new team, his former club would receive a draft pick as compensation at the end of the first round of next year’s amateur draft or at the end of competitive balance round B. The placement depends on whether the new contract is worth $50 million or more and the revenue-sharing and luxury tax status of the team losing the player. A team signing the player would give up either its third-highest draft pick, its second-highest pick and $500,000 of international signing bonus... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Pitcher Marcus Stroman accepted the New York Mets' $18.9 million qualifying offer on Wednesday to stay with the team for 2021. The 29-year-old right-hander did not play this year, missing the start of the shortened season in late July due to a torn left calf muscle, then announcing Aug. 10 he had opted out because of the coronavirus pandemic. He announced his decision the day after new Mets owner Steven Cohen held an introductory news conference, Cohen bought the team last week from the Wilpon and Katz families for a baseball record $2.42 billion. “After watching the presser, I’m beyond excited to play for you sir,” Stroman posted on Twitter. “I could feel the excitement and passion you’re going to bring daily. Let’s go be great!” “Marcus, That is great news,” Cohen replied on Twitter. “Looking forward to meeting you soon. I will call you over the next few days to thank you.” Stroman projects to be part of a rotation that includes two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Pitcher Marcus Stroman has indicated he will accept the New York Mets' $18.9 million qualifying offer to stay with the team for 2021. The 29-year-old right-hander did not play this year, missing the start of the shortened season in late July due to a torn left calf muscle, then announcing Aug. 10 he had opted out because of the coronavirus pandemic. He tweeted his intention to accept the qualifying offer hours before the 5 p.m. EST Wednesday deadline and one day after new Mets owner Steven Cohen held a news conference after buying the team last week from the Wilpon and Katz families for a baseball record $2.42 billion. “After watching the presser, I’m beyond excited to play for you sir,” Stroman posted on Twitter. “I could feel the excitement and passion you’re going to bring daily. Let’s go be great!” Stroman projects to be part of a rotation that includes two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz, Seth Lugo and David Peterson. Noah Syndergaard will miss the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Stroman was acquired by the Mets from Toronto on July 28, 2019, for left-hander Anthony Kay and minor league right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson. He went 4-2 with a 3.77 ERA in 11 starts for the Mets, leaving his career record at 51-47 with 3.76 ERA. By opting out, he gave up a little more than $3,250,414 of $4,444,444 in prorated pay from his $12 million salary. ___ More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Oct. 30 1945 — Branch Rickey signed Jackie Robinson to a minor-league contract for the 1946 season with Montreal of the International League. 1956 — The Brooklyn Dodgers sold Ebbets Field to real estate developer Marvin Kratter. Kratter leased the stadium back to the Dodgers through the 1959 season before using the site for a housing development. 1963 — Sandy Koufax of Los Angeles became the second player to win the Cy Young and MVP in the same year. Koufax beat out Dick Groat of the St. Louis Cardinals for the MVP award. 1974 — Oakland’s Catfish Hunter, who led the league with 25 wins and a 2.49 ERA, was named the American League’s Cy Young winner. 2001 — Roger Clemens and Mariano Rivera shut down Arizona for a 2-1 win that cut the Diamondbacks’ World series lead to two games-to-one. Clemens allowed only three hits and struck out nine and Rivera threw two perfect innings in relief. An early home run by Jorge Posada and a tiebreaking single by Scott Brosius in the sixth were enough to win... [More]

Rays manager Kevin Cash stepped out of the dugout, and Blake Snell turned his head to curse. So too, no doubt, did fans watching on TV back in Tampa, Florida. Cash pulled Snell after 73 pitches and 5 1/3 sterling innings Tuesday night, turning Game 6 of the World Series over to his vaunted bullpen — a move that backfired immediately as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a 3-1 victory to wrap up their first championship in 32 years. “I guess I regret it because it didn’t work out,” Cash said, later adding, “personally, I thought Blake had done his job and then some.” Cash was immediately criticized — by fans, broadcasters and players around the majors. “So who gets to pull the manager?” Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard tweeted. The decision, driven by advanced analytics, could come to define Cash, just as past pitching moves have followed other managers when they didn’t work out. A look back at other October mishaps: ___ 1951 NL PENNANT PLAYOFF GAME 3 Who knows? Bobby Thomson’s famed “Shot... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Blake Snell turned away from his manager and yelled an expletive as Kevin Cash headed to the mound. In control all night, the Tampa Bay ace no longer had the ball in his potent left hand. Soon, the Rays no longer had a grip on the lead, either. The team that reached the World Series leaning largely on analytics was undone by the data — and a decision sure to become part of October lore. With Snell still seething, wobbly reliever Nick Anderson was on the mound when Mookie Betts' double started a sequence that led to two quick runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a championship-clinching 3-1 victory in Game 6 on Tuesday night. “I guess I regret it because it didn’t work out,” Cash said, later adding, “personally, I thought Blake had done his job and then some.” Said Snell: “At the end of the day, I see both sides.” “The hardest thing for me is I was rolling, I was in a groove. I felt like I had them guessing. It’s just tough for me. It’s going to be tough for... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Blake Snell turned away from his manager and yelled an expletive as Kevin Cash headed to the mound. In control all night, the Tampa Bay ace no longer had the ball in his potent left hand. Soon, the Rays no longer had a grip on the lead, either. The team that reached the World Series leaning largely on analytics was undone by the data — and a decision sure to become part of October lore. With Snell still seething, wobbly reliever Nick Anderson was on the mound when Mookie Betts' double started a sequence that led to two quick runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a championship-clinching 3-1 victory in Game 6 on Tuesday night. “I guess I regret it because it didn’t work out,” Cash said, later adding, “personally, I thought Blake had done his job and then some.” Said Snell: “At the end of the day, I see both sides.” “The hardest thing for me is I was rolling, I was in a groove. I felt like I had them guessing. It’s just tough for me. It’s going to be tough for... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Blake Snell turned away from his manager and yelled an expletive as Kevin Cash headed to the mound. In control all night, the Tampa Bay ace no longer had the ball in his potent left hand. Soon, the Rays no longer had a grip on the lead, either. The team that reached the World Series leaning largely on analytics was undone by the data — and a decision sure to become part of October lore. With Snell still seething, wobbly reliever Nick Anderson was on the mound when Mookie Betts' double started a sequence that led to two quick runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a championship-clinching 3-1 victory in Game 6 on Tuesday night. “I guess I regret it because it didn’t work out,” Cash said, later adding, “personally, I thought Blake had done his job and then some.” Said Snell: “At the end of the day, I see both sides.” “The hardest thing for me is I was rolling, I was in a groove. I felt like I had them guessing. It’s just tough for me. It’s going to be tough for... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Blake Snell turned away from his manager and yelled an expletive as Kevin Cash headed to the mound. In control all night, the Tampa Bay ace no longer had the ball in his potent left hand. Soon, the Rays no longer had a grip on the lead, either. The team that reached the World Series leaning largely on analytics was undone by the data — and a decision sure to become part of October lore. With Snell still seething, wobbly reliever Nick Anderson was on the mound when Mookie Betts' double started a sequence that led to two quick runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a championship-clinching 3-1 victory in Game 6 on Tuesday night. “I guess I regret it because it didn’t work out,” Cash said, later adding, “personally, I thought Blake had done his job and then some.” Said Snell: “At the end of the day, I see both sides.” “The hardest thing for me is I was rolling, I was in a groove. I felt like I had them guessing. It’s just tough for me. It’s going to be tough for... [More]

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Blake Snell turned away from his manager and yelled an expletive as Kevin Cash headed to the mound. In control all night, the Tampa Bay ace no longer had the ball in his potent left hand. Soon, the Rays no longer had a grip on the lead, either. The team that reached the World Series leaning largely on analytics was undone by the data — and a decision sure to become part of October lore. With Snell still seething, wobbly reliever Nick Anderson was on the mound when Mookie Betts' double started a sequence that led to two quick runs as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a championship-clinching 3-1 victory in Game 6 on Tuesday night. “I guess I regret it because it didn’t work out,” Cash said, later adding, “personally, I thought Blake had done his job and then some.” Said Snell: “At the end of the day, I see both sides." "Just me, the way I felt that game and what he was able to see what I was doing in that game. I don’t want to be taken out of that game,” he said.... [More]

NEW YORK (AP) — Like so many things in everyday life this year, little went according to plan for the New York Mets. And with a change in ownership pending, more upheaval could be coming soon. After starting 2020 with such high hopes, the Mets finished 26-34 under rookie manager Luis Rojas in a rocky season cut short by the coronavirus. They tied Washington for last in the NL East and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year — even with the field expanded to eight teams per league. “That’s pretty frustrating,” said ace Jacob deGrom, who delivered another stellar performance on the mound. “There’s a lot of disappointment.” With slugger Pete Alonso powering a young corps of rising hitters, a second-half surge last year propelled New York to an 86-76 record and generated optimism. Former star Carlos Beltrán was hired as manager to replace Mickey Callaway, and the Mets set about beefing up their pitching staff in free agency. That's when everything went haywire. Beltrán was let go after... [More]

MIAMI (AP) — The New York Mets made a last-minute change to their patchwork rotation Tuesday, placing scheduled starter David Peterson on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder fatigue and recalling Corey Oswalt to take his place.Mets manager Luis Rojas said Peterson “woke up and felt a little weird with his shoulder” and that the team wanted to be careful with him. Rojas didn’t know if Peterson would undergo an MRI.New York called up Oswalt, a right-hander, from its alternate training site to start against the Miami Marlins less than three hours before the scheduled first pitch.Peterson is 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA and 17 strikeouts and eight walks in 21 2/3 innings over four starts. In his last start, against the Nationals on Thursday, he gave up no earned runs in five innings while striking out three and walking two.Peterson has provided a much-needed boost to a Mets rotation that's been in flux this season.Noah Syndergaard is sidelined this season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and Marcus Stroman recently opted out of playing this year.Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom was scratched from his last scheduled start because of a stiff neck. He's set to start Wednesday night against the Marlins.The Mets also recalled right-handed pitcher Drew Smith from their alternate training site and optioned righty Franklyn Kilome.___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

MIAMI (AP) — The New York Mets made a last-minute change to their rotation Tuesday, placing scheduled starter David Peterson on the 10-day injured list with left shoulder fatigue and recalling Corey Oswalt to take his place.Mets manager Luis Rojas said Peterson “woke up and felt a little weird with his shoulder” and that the team wanted to be careful with him. Rojas didn’t know if Peterson would undergo an MRI.New York called up Oswalt, a right-hander, from its alternate training site to start against the Miami Marlins less than three hours before the scheduled first pitch.Peterson is 3-1 with a 2.91 ERA and 17 strikeouts and eight walks in 21 2/3 innings over four starts. In his last start, against the Nationals on Thursday, he gave up no earned runs in five innings while striking out three and walking two.The Mets also recalled right-handed pitcher Drew Smith from their alternate training site and optioned righty Franklyn Kilome.They already are without Noah Syndergaard (Tommy John surgery) and Marcus Stroman (opted out of the season).___More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW YORK (AP) — Marcus Stroman’s recovery from a torn left calf muscle was almost complete, and he was in line to possibly make his season debut for the New York Mets next week against the Miami Marlins.But the idea of traveling to one of the country’s coronavirus hot spots played a factor in Stroman’s decision Monday to opt out of the 2020 season.“Obviously, you see the Cardinals, the Marlins, you see spikes everywhere in the country, you see protocols not being handled properly from citizens everywhere,” Stroman said during a Zoom call. “You see us going to Florida soon. That was a big discussion I had with my family. Going to see the Marlins soon, that’s something I don’t want to be in that situation.”Stroman, scheduled to become a free agent after the season, is the second Mets player to opt out this month. Designated hitter Yoenis Cespedes left the team Aug. 2.Stroman said he had daily conversations with his family about what to do. His grandmother and uncle have compromised immune... [More]

Marcus Stroman’s recovery from a torn left calf muscle was almost complete, and he was in line to possibly make his season debut for the New York Mets next week against the Miami Marlins.But the idea of traveling to one of the country’s coronavirus hot spots played a factor in Stroman’s decision Monday to opt out of the 2020 season.“Obviously, you see the Cardinals, the Marlins, you see spikes everywhere in the country, you see protocols not being handled properly from citizens everywhere,” Stroman said during a Zoom call. “You see us going to Florida soon. That was a big discussion I had with my family. Going to see the Marlins soon, that’s something I don’t want to be in that situation.”Stroman, scheduled to become a free agent after the season, is the second Mets player to opt out this month. Designated hitter Yoenis Cespedes left the team Aug. 2.Stroman said he had daily conversations with his family about what to do. His grandmother and uncle have compromised immune systems and are... [More]