New York Mets DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

New York Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn (knee) will make his seventh minor-league rehab start on Tuesday for Triple-A Syracuse, according to The Athletic's Tim Britton. The Mets have kept Blackburn in the minor leagues as they postpone a decision on their starting rotation. They will need a sixth starter in the first week of June, and Britton writes that we can pencil Blackburn in to start the series opener in Los Angeles against the Dodgers a week from Monday. The 31-year-old veteran has a 3.91 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 27 strikeouts and 11 walks in six rehab starts at Syracuse, High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton. Not only will Blackburn's first start in 2025 be one to fade him in against the Dodgers, but after that start, he could be shifted to a long-relief role out of the bullpen once the Mets return to a five-man rotation.

New York Mets left-hander Sean Manaea (oblique) will throw live batting practice on Thursday, which will be the first time he has faced live hitters since straining his left oblique in spring training, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. Manaea was placed on the 15-day injured list way back on Feb. 24 and has yet to make his 2025 debut after a resurgent 2024 campaign for the Mets. The 33-year-old veteran southpaw will probably require a couple live BP sessions before he's cleared to go on what will be a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment. Barring a setback as he ramps up his left arm, Manaea could make his season debut in late June. Manaea's lower arm slot last year gave him better control of his pitches and helped him to a 3.47 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 184 strikeouts and 63 walks in 181 2/3 innings over 32 regular-season starts. A repeat of that performance will be more difficult coming off injury.

New York Mets third baseman Mark Vientos will retreat to the bench for Monday's series opener against the visiting Chicago White Sox at Citi Field. Brett Baty is starting at third base and is batting sixth versus White Sox right-hander Adrian Houser. Vientos didn't play on Friday or Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to abdominal soreness, but he returned on Sunday to go 1-for-3 with a strikeout in the 3-1 win. The 25-year-old second-round pick in 2017 hasn't been nearly as good this year as he was during a 2024 breakout in which he hit .266/.322/.516 with career-highs in home runs (27) and RBI (71) in 111 games. Vientos only has five homers and 18 RBI through 48 games in 2025 but has hit .269 (18-for-67) with a homer and three RBI in his 20 games in May. Baty will be a DFS sleeper at third in a matchup against Houser, who he has a solo homer against in two career at-bats.

New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (neck) is back in left field and is hitting second for Monday's series opener against the visiting Chicago White Sox at Citi Field. Nimmo missed the entire three-game series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers over the weekend due to neck stiffness, but he's back to begin the new week and will give it a go against the White Sox and right-hander Adrian Houser, who he has hit .571 against with a 1.768 OPS and a solo home run in seven career at-bats. The 32-year-old former first-rounder in 2011 has hit a disappointing .212 (38-for-179) with a .274 on-base percentage in 49 games in 2025, but he does have eight home runs and 27 RBI. Nimmo will be looking to snap a slump at the plate in his return on Monday after going hitless in his last 18 trips to the plate with two walks and six strikeouts in six games.

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer Sunday to help propel the club to a 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Alonso's 406-foot dinger to left field against Dodgers right-hander Landon Knack handed the Mets a first-inning lead they never gave up. It's the first homer since May 5 for the powerful Alonso, who snapped a career-worst 16-game dry spell. He ended the game 1-for-4 and has now gone just 20-for-88 this month. However, Alonso still boasts an enviable .291/.391/.536 line with 10 homers, 40 RBI, and a career-best 12.4% walk rate through 233 plate appearances this season. He'll take on Chicago White Sox right-hander Adrian Houser on Monday.