Brodie Van Wagenen wasn't shy on Thursday when explaining what he thinks the signing of Dellin Betances could mean for the Mets.

"This signing is different. This signing was intended to blow the cover off of our ceiling," Van Wagenen said at Citi Field while introducing Betances as the newest member of the Mets. 

"We believe that a healthy and dominant Dellin, combined with Edwin Diaz and Seth Lugo and Justin Wilson, Jeurys Familia, Brad Brach, Robert Gsellman. This collective group has the potential to be one of the best bullpens in baseball."

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

If all goes well for Dellin Betances, meaning that neither last season's shoulder impingement nor Achilles tear is an issue in 2020, the Mets now have the wild card they need to have a real shot at winning the killer division that is the NL East. 

As such, the signing of Betances this week was both a necessary gamble and a desperately needed way for Brodie Van Wagenen to energize a highly skeptical fan base in an otherwise uneventful winter. 

The GM simply didn't have any credibility in trying to sell the notion that the Mets could bank on bounce-backs from Jeurys Familia and Edwin Diaz as the cure for the bullpen that wrecked their season. 

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Mets, coming off their first winning season since 2016, have the makings of a team that should contend again in 2020, though that won't be easy to do in the fiercely competitve NL East.

To that end, they need to add more between now and the end of the offseason. And finding legitimate bullpen help is chief among the Mets' needs.

Still, it's likely that much of the 26-man Opening Day roster for 2020 is already in place. Factoring in the players already on the roster and what could happen between now and when things get going at Citi Field on March 26, here is our way too early 26-man roster prediction...

Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen said multiple times earlier this offseason that Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman were options for the 2020 starting rotation. Then he signed Michael Wacha. The next day, he signed Rick Porcello.

While Van Wagenen said after those signings that Lugo and Gsellman are still options to start, it's clear that they're both destined for the bullpen since the Mets have six starters for five spots without even factoring them in.

And Lugo, who has been clear the last few seasons about his desire to start, told Mike Puma of the New York Post that he is "disappointed" to likely be headed for the bullpen again. He's also not giving up on his hope to start and become an "ace" -- whether it's in 2020 or not.

Now that the Mets have reached an agreement with Yoenis Cespedes to reduce his contract for the 2020 season, as reported by SNY's Andy Martino, what exactly could the team look to do with the extra cap space?

According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Cespedes' salary for 2020 was cut from $29.5 million to less than $10 million, though he could make back $20 million via performances bonuses.

So the first question is how exactly does the Cespedes situation affect the Mets in terms of the luxury tax? Former MLB GM and current SNY analyst Jim Duquette broke down the situation on Baseball Night in New York. 

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Mets left the Winter Meetings having secured two starting pitchers and after having discussions about potential moves involving Starling Marte, Jed Lowrie, Dominic Smith, and others.

But while GM Brodie Van Wagenen said on Thursday that the Mets can now focus on "wants" instead of "needs," the team still has some needs -- both in terms of players they need to bring in and players they should be looking to move on from.

Here's what should still be on their agenda with about two months to go until spring training begins in Port St. Lucie...

Brodie Van Wagenen said Thursday at the Winter Meetings that the Mets have "probably the deepest starting pitching rotation in baseball," noting that the added depth after signing Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha gives the team lots of "flexibility" when it comes to how they prepare for 2020.

As things currently stand, the Mets have Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, Steven Matz, Porcello, and Wacha as rotation options.

They also have the ability to use Seth Lugo or Robert Gsellman in the rotation, with Van Wagenen saying the Mets are "staring at eight potential starting pitchers."

Speaking Thursday morning at the Winter Meetings with the Mets on the verge of finalizing deals with starting pitchers Rick Porcello and Michael Wacha, GM Brodie Van Wagenen strongly suggested that his plan might not include adding any external big league relievers.

Van Wagenen could be speaking in intentionally coy terms. But if not, the Mets would likely be neglecting their main area of need while hoping for bounceback years and other positive developments.

"We can bolster our bullpen by having (Seth) Lugo and (Robert) Gsellman go back to the bullpen along with (Brad) Brach if that's how it shakes out in spring training," Van Wagenen said. "It's a good position to be in. We'll sort of adjust on the fly in terms of what other opportunities come in. We have the ability to do wants now that many of our needs are filled."

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

In an unexpected move, the Mets have reportedly inked Rick Porcello to a one-year deal worth $10 million. While the signing itself was surprising, the potential ramifications are even more intriguing.

Since the Mets now have an excess of starting pitchers and 42 players for 40 spots (and are brushing up against the luxury tax), more moves have to be coming. So what happens now?

Are the Mets going to trade a starting pitcher?

With Porcello and Michael Wacha on board, the Mets seemingly have six starting pitchers for five slots. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen once again met with members of the media as the MLB Winter Meetings roll on in San Diego.

Van Wagenen had plenty to talk about on Wednesday. including the Mets' reported addition of veteran Michael Wacha.

Here are four takeaways from Van Wagenen's availability:

On Michael Wacha

On Wednesday, SNY's Andy Martino confirmed the Mets are working hard to finalize a one-year contract with the veteran starter Wacha.

The Mets are 'working hard' to finalize a one-year deal with free agent Michael Wacha, SNY's Andy Martino confirmed.

Wacha's deal will be worth $3 million guaranteed, with an additional $7 million in potential incentives, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Wacha, 28, had a 4.76 ERA (5.61 FIP) and 1.56 WHIP in 126.2 IP in 2019 for the Cardinals as he struggled with injuries and inconsistency.

.. 

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Mets enter the Winter Meetings having re-signed Brad Brach to a one-year deal with a player option for 2021 that could turn out to be a steal if Brach performs in 2020 like he has during most of his career. 

But Brach isn't nearly enough.

The Mets have agreed to sign reliever Brad Brach, SNY's Andy Martino confirmed. 

Brach's deal will be for one year and $850,000 and also contains a player option for 2021 that is worth $1.25 million, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Brach, Chris Flexen was designated for assignment.

In a nightmare outcome for the Mets, free agent Zack Wheeler has agreed to a five-year deal with the Phillies worth $118 million, SNY's Andy Martino confirmed.

Wheeler's camp circled back with the Mets before he agreed to sign with the Phillies, but the Mets did not make an offer, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post.

While Wheeler got paid handsomely, he actually turned down more money from the White Sox due in part to his desire to remain in close proximity to New Jersey -- where his wife is from -- reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

The Mets had nine arbitration-eligible players entering the offseason and trimmed that number to eight when they DFA'd Joe Panik.

On Monday, the team announced that they had officially tendered contracts to Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, Michael Conforto, Edwin Diaz , Steven Matz, Seth Lugo, Brandon Nimmo, and Robert Gsellman. 

Once a player is offered arbitration, the team and that player's agent have until a set date -- usually at some point in February -- to come to terms on a new contract. If that doesn't happen, both sides submit salary proposals and the player's salary is determined at a hearing by independent arbitrators. 

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Nationals may have won the World Series but the Braves were the best team in the NL East over 162 games last season, totaling 97 wins, and they could be better in 2020 considering: 

They have the best core of age 25-and-under players in the division, as well as a Top Five farm system, and they've moved quickly this off-season to load up in the bullpen, signing Will Smith, the top reliever on the free agent market, and re-signing Chris Martin.  

All of which sets an awfully high bar for the Mets next season if they're going to deliver on the win-now expectations that have defined Brodie Van Wagenen's actions as GM.

Moments after Mets first baseman Pete Alonso took home the National League Rookie of the Year Award, New York general manager Brodie Van Wagenen spoke at the MLB GM meetings.

Here are the takeaways from Van Wegenen's discussion with reporters...  

Latest on Zack Wheeler contract negotiations...

"We started dialogue with his camp before the trade deadline last year. We expressed interest in having him be apart of what we're doing moving forward. Obviously he earned the right to explore free agency, he's got a decision to make later this week [on the qualifying offer the Mets extended him]. We'll certainly continue to have those discussions moving forward."

"Wheeler is a good pitcher. That's why we offered him the qualifying offer, we didn't take that lightly. I think he's put himself in a position to be an attractive player. We'll continue to have dialogue."

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- When Brodie Van Wagenen suggested last week that Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman might be in the 2020 rotation, he appeared to telegraph that the Mets were more likely to play in the free agent reliever market this offseason than sign a starter.

That makes sense, when you consider that a better bullpen would likely have delivered the team to the postseason.

That bit of context helps to inform our understanding of the first li'l nugget of the team's post-managerial search offseason, that the front office met Monday morning with the agency that represents both Zack Wheeler and World Series champion reliever Daniel Hudson.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

MLB free agency is officially underway, and while there is a steep dropoff after the triumvirate of Gerrit Cole, Anthony Rendon, and Stephen Strasburg, there are still dozens of quality players available.

For the Mets, there are solid options on the market who could help them address their three biggest needs: The bullpen, center field, and the starting rotation. New York also has the option of going the trade route to fill some or all of their needs, but with the team in need of restocking their farm system (instead of further diminishing it), the wiser play would be to fill most of their needs via free agency.

Along the above lines, here are five free agents the Mets should consider pursuing...

The Mets made things official on Monday, introducing Carlos Beltran as the 22nd manager in team history during a press conference at Citi Field.

In addition to Beltran's introduction and his thoughts on taking over the reins, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen spoke about the hiring process and what could be in store for the team this offeason.

Here's what happened, in case you missed it...

The Mets will have a gaping hole in their starting rotation if Zack Wheeler leaves via free agency, but is that hole something they could actually fill from within?

Speaking on Monday at Citi Field after introducing Carlos Beltran as the 22nd manager in franchise history, GM Brodie Van Wagenen talked up the ability of Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman as potential rotation answers.

"We've got some great players in Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman that may be considerations in the rotation," Van Wagenen told SNY's Steve Gelbs.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

The Mets enter the 2019-20 offseason with a very strong core in place, but there are numerous deficiencies they'll need to address if they hope to go from an 86-win near-miss in 2019 to a playoff team in 2020.

Among the areas where the Mets should be looking to add: Starting pitching (with Zack Wheeler potentially departing via free agency), the bullpen (which was their undoing this past season), and center field.

The Mets already have a substantial amount committed to payroll for 2020, but those commitments drop significantly starting in 2021. What could that mean as they build their team for next season and beyond? Here's a deep dive...

Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |

When Steven Matz noticed Mickey Callaway striding towards him with two on and one out in the seventh inning on Tuesday night, the lefty shook his head and cursed. His reaction was a reasonable one: The last time Callaway removed Matz from a tight game, Seth Lugo blew a lead against the Braves.

This time, of course, proved to be different. Lefty Justin Wilson pounded his cutter in on switch hitter Francisco Lindor, who was batting right-handed, and Oscar Mercado -- another righty. He struck out both.

Wilson has lately proven to be a strong offseason signing by new GM Brodie Van Wagenen -- and a major part of the team's surprising bullpen resurgence. While still shaky in spots, the Mets' pen has progressed from terrifying to stable. Or at least stable-ish. However one chooses to describe it, the facts show tangible improvements since June.

The Mets (65-60, 9.0 GB in NL East, 2.0 GB of second Wild Card) continue their three-game series against the Indians at Citi Field on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m.

Here's what happened on Tuesday, in case you missed it....

Behind a strong start from Steven Matz and a late offensive eruption, the Mets took down the Indians, 9-2, on Tuesday night >> Read more

As the Mets head toward the homestretch in the regular season, it looks like they'll be losing a bullpen piece.

According to SNY's Andy Martino, Robert Gsellman has suffered a partial lat tear. And though his timetable hasn't been determined yet, it would need to be a speedy recovery to see Gsellman back on the mound at full health this year. 

Gsellman hit the IL on Aug. 17 with right triceps tightness, but there was clearly more to his injury after tests were done. 

The Mets (63-60, 9.0 GB in NL East, 2.0 GB of second Wild Card) are looking for the series win today against the Royals with Zack Wheeler on the mound. 

Here's what happened on Saturday, in case you missed it....

The Mets evened up the series with the Royals, winning 4-1 thanks to a brilliant performance from Jacob deGrom. >> Read more

The Mets (62-60, 9.0 GB in NL East, 2.5 GB in Wild Card) will face the Kansas City Royals (44-78, 30 GB in AL Central, 26.5 GB in Wild Card) on Saturday at 7:15 p.m. at Kauffman Stadium. 

Mets Notes

J.D. Davis is second in the National League with a .379 batting average and.440 on-base percentage since the All-Star break. Davis is not in the lineup after suffering a calf injury on Friday, however, Mickey Callaway said the issue is only minor and he could pinch hit. ... The Mets placed RHP Robert Gsellman on the 10-day IL with triceps tightness and recalled RHP Walker Lockett from Triple-A Syracuse. ... Wilson Ramos is currently on an 11-game hitting streak, tied for the longest active in the majors. ... Amed Rosario had nine hits between Wednesday and Thursday, which tied a Mets two-day record.

The Mets are down an arm in the bullpen.

Manager Mickey Callaway announced before Saturday's game against the Royals that Robert Gsellman is headed to the IL with triceps tightness.

Callaway had said after Friday's game that Gsellman had not been available to pitch, and now the team will be without him for the immediate future.

In many ways, the Mets' playoff run starts tonight at Citi Field against the Nationals.

The Mets have spent the better part of the past three weeks beating up on the league's worst teams, pushing them from being seven games under .500 to just a half-game back of the second Wild Card spot.

It's been a fun, wonderful run, but we will soon find out if it was a simply a summer fling or a true realization of their original expectations for 2019.

By keeping his best talent and replacing his No. 5 starter with an ace, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen signaled to his players, Mets fans and all of baseball that he believes his team can still find its way into the 2019 postseason.

If there is a shot at winning around 35 of their remaining 55 games, it will be because the new Fab Five of Jacob deGrom, Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard, Zack Wheeler and Steven Matz consistently pitch to their potential.

"I was praying we didn't trade any of those guys that we're being rumored about," Stroman said late Wednesday. "I actually think we can have the best staff in all of baseball."

When Mike Yastrzemski lofted a fly ball to left field off the end of his bat in the 12th inning on Sunday against the Mets, no one thought it was going to leave the ballpark. Not Yastrzemski, not Robert Gsellman (who threw the pitch), and not Mickey Callaway. 

But it kept carrying, Jeff McNeil ran out of room, and the ball dropped into the first row of the left field seats to give the Giants a walk-off win in the 12th inning.

After the game, Gsellman was blunt about whether he thought the ball was going to leave the park.

Mickey Callaway knew he'd have to rely on the Mets' bullpen on Tuesday night, and the group answered the call and then some against a potent Twins lineup, leading to a 3-2 win.

Before the game, Callaway set a 75-80 pitch limit for Steven Matz, making his return to the rotation after a brief stint in the pen. After 68 pitches over four innings from the lefty, Callaway turned the ball over to the bullpen, where six relievers combined to hold the Twins scoreless over the course of five innings.

Robert Gsellman, Luis Avilan, Jeurys Familia, Justin Wilson, Seth Lugo and Edwin Diaz combined to keep the Twins' bats at bay, allowing a Michael Conforto fifth-inning RBI single to decide the game. Callaway said after the game that he believed this was the bullpen's best overall performance of the season.

Robinson Cano's bat stayed hot after knocking a two-run homer in the eighth inning game-winning home run on Saturday. Cano had four hits on Sunday in the Mets' 6-2 win over the Marlins. >> Box score

Five things to know from Sunday's game

1) It only took one pitch for the Mets' offense to get going. Jeff McNeil knocked the first throw from Marlins pitcher Sandy Alcantara over the right field fence, giving his team the early lead. McNeil has notched a hit in each game this series against the Marlins, including a two-hit outing on Saturday. McNeil entered Sunday's game batting .350, which leads the National League. McNeil also hit a first-pitch homer on July 3 against the Yankees this year. 

2) Robinson Cano could be changing his fortunes on the road this year. Cano carried his home run momentum into Sunday, as he nearly hit for the cycle with four hits on the day. Cano doubled, singled, knocked a solo home run, and then singled again against the defensive shift in his final plate appearance. 

I wanna believe. But, despite what Mickey Callaway has told reporters, I know it's very unlikely the Mets will claw their way back into the Wild Card race.

Therefore, if Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen -- who addressed the media Friday -- concludes that the Mets will again finish with a losing record, he will give serious thought to trading more than just a few players this summer.

The fact is, while some on this roster helped get the Mets to a World Series in 2015, most were not part of that squad. And those that were on that team are either due for major increases in salary or they're about to be or will be free agents very soon.

The Mets' lineup couldn't solve Braves' pitching in Friday's 6-2 loss at Citi Field. >> Box score

Five things to know from Friday's game

1) Jacob deGrom continues to look more and more like the Cy Young winner that he is, giving the Mets another quality start. DeGrom went six innings, allowing three earned runs while striking out seven. The big blow against deGrom was an Austin Riley two-run home run in the top of the second inning. He finished the month of June with six quality starts and a 2.70 ERA,

2) Robert Gsellman couldn't get out of trouble in the top of the eighth inning. With runners on first and second and two outs, Gsellman hit Riley with a pitch to load the bases. Johan Camargo then doubled in two runs to push the Braves' lead to 6-2. 

Roughly 45 minutes before Mickey Callaway cursed out a Mets beat reporter in the clubhouse on Sunday -- with Jason Vargas threatening to knock the reporter out -- Callaway's non-move on the field arguably cost his team the game.

That non-move -- and questions about it -- helped lead to Callaway's blowup, but was then buried. Let's excavate it...

With the Mets leading the Cubs, 3-2, heading into the seventh inning, Callaway turned to Seth Lugo in the hope of getting two innings out of him. After Lugo worked around a one-out single while striking out two in a scoreless seventh, it was clear he didn't have it in the eighth inning as he allowed a hard-hit single to Kyle Schwarber before a one-out walk to Anthony Rizzo put runners on first and second with one out.

Mets manager Mickey Callaway defended his decision to not bring in Edwin Diaz for a five-out save in Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Cubs.

"We're not going to use him for five outs," Callaway said of Diaz. "That's the bottom line."

Instead of bringing in Robert Gsellman or Diaz, who had made one pitching appearance since last Saturday (12 pitches), to face Javy Baez in a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom of the eighth with the Mets up 3-2, Callaway opted to stick with Seth Lugo.

The Mets decided to shake things up with their coaching staff on Thursday, firing pitching coach Dave Eiland and bullpen coach Chuck Hernandez. Eiland joined the Mets last year and his departure was definitely felt by the pitching staff.

Jacob deGrom credited Eiland, 52, for playing a significant role in his success last season that helped the right-hander win the NL Cy Young award and that the pitching coach informed deGrom personally of the news. 

"Dave called me and I told him, thank you for everything you did," deGrom said before Thursday's game against the Cubs. "I'm going to miss him. He helped me out quite a bit last year. I'm thankful for the time that I had with him."

The Mets have fired pitching coach Dave Eiland, SNY's Andy Martino confirmed.

Eiland will be replaced by Phil Regan, according to Martino. 

Along with Eiland, the team has also fired bullpen coach Chuck Hernandez, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. He will be replaced by Ricky Bones, according to Mike Puma.

Robinson Cano (quad) appears to be getting closer to returning from the IL. 

The second baseman, who was on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse, was with the Mets on Saturday in Citi Field testing his left quad in the outfield and taking batting practice prior to the game. 

According to GM Brodie Van Wagenen and manager Mickey Callaway, Cano was going through his pregame routine and they would assess on Sunday whether or not he is ready to be activated off the injured list. 

The Mets (33-36, 7.5 GB in NL East, 5 GB of second Wild Card) fell to the Cardinals Friday night, twice, losing a suspended game, 5-4, then the regularly scheduled game, 9-5. They return to face the Cardinals on Saturday at Citi Field at 7:10 p.m. 

Here's what went down on Friday, in case you missed it:

After blowing the save in Thursday night's suspended game, Edwin Diaz returned for the 10th inning to pitch again only to allow another run and take the loss as well. In the regularly scheduled game, it was Jeurys Familia who cost the Mets, blowing a one-run lead in the eighth by allowing four runs, including two home runs, in a 9-5 loss. 

As if the Mets needed any more questions about their bullpen, they may have another injury to deal with after Friday's game.

Robert Gsellman pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Mets, but was then taken out of the game as part of a double switch. When asked about that move after the game, Mickey Callaway said Gsellman told him he was experiencing tightness in his back.

Callaway didn't have much more info on Gsellman, other than that he will get treatment and the team would go from there. 

On the premiere of SNY's new digital series 'Game On, presented by GEICO,' Robert Gsellman and Steven Matz audition for a spot on the show!

The best I can tell, 10 of the league's 15 teams in AL still consider themselves "contending," while seemingly only the Giants and Marlins are, at this point, set on beings sellers before the deadline.

At 28-32 and five games back of the last Wild Card spot, the Mets are presently among the NL teams riding the fence. To hit 90 wins, which is what it typically takes to reach the postseason, the Mets will need to play .560 baseball, which is not out of the realm of possibility. If this is going to happen, it has to start now, specifically this week playing the Giants and Rockies at home.

It's not going to be easy, though, especially with multiple key players underperforming, banged up, or on the injured list. Best case scenario, the Mets get themselves to be slightly above .500, and well within reach of the Wild Card by winning or splitting every series between now and the end of July. This level success would hopefully make them buyers.

The Mets began their six-game homestand at Citi Field with an extra-inning loss to the Giants, falling 9-3 in 10 innings. >> Box score

Six things to know from Tuesday's game

1) Noah Syndergaard gave the Mets a second-consecutive quality start, but the run support just wasn't there for him early on. Syndergaard pitched 6.2 innings, allowing three earned runs on 103 pitches. After the Mets did give him a lead in the sixth, he was noticeably unhappy when Mickey Callaway elected to pull him from the game in favor of Seth Lugo with two away in the seventh. He left the mound with a lead, but it wouldn't hold.

Jacob deGrom was rolling, got into a little bit of trouble, and then his hip cramped up.

He was kneeling as Adeiny Hechavarria made a throwing error which allowed the Diamondbacks to get their first run, and his hip cramped up. He was allowed to remain in the game after one mound visit, but after giving up a ground-rule double. Mickey Callaway and the team trainer decided to take him out. DeGrom was at 89 pitches when he was taken out with two outs in the seventh, and the Mets' bullpen proceeded to blow a four-run lead before they lost 6-5 in 11 innings.

"I was frustrated," deGrom said. "It just cramped up for a second. I just wanted to throw a couple of pitches to make sure it was fine and it was. It's a tough loss for us tonight and I wish I could've stayed out there."

The Mets (28-29, 5 GB in the NL East) rallied in the eighth inning for a 5-4 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks (28-30, 11 GB in NL West) on Friday.

They return to face the Diamondbacks again on Saturday at Chase Field at 10:10 p.m. when Jacob deGrom (3-5, 3.71 ERA) takes on Zack Greinke (6-2, 2.78 ERA). 

Here's what went down on Friday, in case you missed it:

The Mets put together a two-out rally in the eighth inning, with Carlos Gomez lining a pinch-hit go-ahead double to lead the Mets to a 5-4 victory over the Diamondbacks.

The Mets' bullpen had a different look on Friday, but the group got the job done in the Mets' 5-4 victory over Arizona.

After a crazy top of the eighth inning where the Mets jumped in front, Mickey Callaway relied on Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman to pitch the eighth and ninth innings, and the duo delivered.

"The more and more we looked at it, after they played catch they said they were okay. Dave (Eiland) and I talked about it, and (Jeurys) Familia and (Edwin) Diaz were down," Callaway said. "They have thrown five out of eight. Today would have been another three out of four for both of them. They've thrown a ton of pitches, and we just couldn't do it.

"I think taking care of our players and putting them in a good spot is always something that we're going to think about, as well as winning, and we had Lugo and Gsellman. Thank goodness (Zack) Wheeler stepped up and went seven for us. That was huge. Now, both Familia and Diaz have had two days off, and we're caught up. We felt like if we would have pitched them today, man, we're going to be trying to catch up for another week. Lugo and Gsellman stepped up big-time and got the job done."

The Mets will try to salvage a split of their four-game series against the Dodgers Thursday night at 10:10 p.m. on SNY. 

Mets notes

Jason Vargas doesn't typically pitch deep into games, but the Mets will need him to go as long as he possibly can Thursday as Edwin Díaz, Jeurys Familia and Robert Gsellman are all taxed. Díaz has pitched in three of the last four games, throwing 46 pitches over the last two days and said he's unavailable Thursday; Familia has also gone three of the last four, including the last two; Gsellman has thrown 41 pitches over the last two days. ... Tomás Nido steps in for Wilson Ramos behind the plate, while Dominic Smith is back on the bench with J.D. Davis starting in left field.