The Mets began a 13-game stretch last week that included 10 games against the Phillies and Braves.

I believed the Mets would need to win at least six of those 10 games -- which would put them around 14-10 heading into their next homestand -- to avoid hitting the panic button too early.

To date, they have won just two of seven during this stretch, with three left against the Phillies, whom they will play at Citi Field after beginning a three-game series Friday against the Cardinals in St. Louis.

If the Mets are going to be this careful about protecting Edwin Diaz, refusing to use him in the highest of high-leverage eighth-inning spots Monday night against the Phillies, then there's only one way to justify such caution:

Go sign Craig Kimbrel. And do it quickly before someone else does.

It's the obvious take, I know, and it might make for a touchy situation as to who gets the ninth inning if the Mets actually were to sign him.

The Mets (10-6, first place in the NL East, 0.5 game up on second place Phillies) face the Phillies in Philadelphia on Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. 

Here's what went down on Monday in case you missed it...

In the Mets' wild 11-inning win over the Phillies, Edwin Diaz was held back until the save situation and proceeded to blow the heart of Philadelphia's order away >> Read more

Mets manager Mickey Callaway defended his decision not to use Edwin Diaz in a pivotal eighth-inning spot after Monday's 11-inning win over the Phillies, saying he wouldn't use his closer for a four-out save unless it was the playoffs.

Callaway said the Mets wouldn't have Diaz, who has a 1.35 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings this season, pitch more than one inning or enter in a tie game on the road.

After Jeurys Familia pitched into a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the bottom of the eighth in a 6-5 game, Callaway turned to Robert Gsellman instead of Diaz to try to escape the jam. Gsellman then walked in the game-tying run on four pitches to blow the save.

Michael Conforto drove in the game-winning run on an error in the 11th inning as the Mets overcame a blown eighth-inning lead to beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 on Monday at Citizens Bank Park. >> Box score

Seven things to know about Monday's game

1) Conforto's two-out liner off Rhys Hoskins' glove trickled into shallow right field, allowing Juan Lagares to score from second base ahead of Cesar Hernandez's off-line throw to break a 6-6 tie.

2) Edwin Diaz, who did not enter the game for a four-out save in the eighth inning, struck out the side in the bottom of the 11th as the Mets snapped a two-game losing streak.

The main Mets headlines continue to center around replacing Jason Vargas with Dallas Keuchel, and whether to sign Craig Kimbrel to beef up the bullpen.

Here are four under the radar stories worth noting...

1) Broxton is better than Lagares

Mets left-hander Jason Vargas was so bad on Saturday night against the Braves that manager Mickey Callaway seemed to be at a loss after the game while explaining what went wrong.

"He's just not getting outs at this point," Callaway said. "That's really all I can say."

Callaway said more, though, noting that the Mets might skip Vargas' next start and that the Mets "have to have other options" when it comes to the No. 5 spot in the rotation 

If the Mets have serious designs on competing for a World Series, the stated goal by rookie general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, they can't possibly plan on having Jason Vargas be their fifth starter the rest of the season.

After Vargas' latest debacle, in which he recorded just one out, was pulled after six batters and allowed four runs on two hits and three walks while throwing just 17 of his 36 pitches for strikes, it will be difficult for the Mets to justify even sending the lefty out for one more start.

"He's just not getting outs at this point," Mickey Callaway said of Vargas. "That's really all I can say."

As the Mets traveled north from Port St. Lucie, their bullpen looked to be a solid unit. New GM Brodie Van Wagenen landed the MLB's saves leader in closer Edwin Diaz and brought back Jeurys Familia to join Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo. Lefty Justin Wilson was also a crucial free agent pickup.

But this group has not gotten off to the start they hoped for in 2019.

As a whole, though, the seven bullpen arms - that includes Luis Avilan and Tim Peterson as well - own a combined 5.76 ERA to start the new year. Avilan has the worst ERA of the relievers, sitting at 16.20 after allowing six runs in 3.1 innings. Lugo is also struggling with a 8.10 ERA after allowing six earned over 6.2 innings.

Mets pitchers combined to walk 12 batters as they dug the team into a 12-1 hole. New York's offense erupted after that, helped by a terrible Nationals bullpen, but the late explosion fell short as the Mets lost, 12-9, on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field in the finale of their three-game series. >> Box score

Seven things to know about Sunday's game

1) Zack Wheeler was shaky from the start of the game, and while he escaped the first inning unscathed, the Nationals dropped a five-spot on him in the second inning with Wheeler unable to locate at all. That inning was especially ugly, with Wheeler walking a pair of batters, allowing a ground ball RBI single to Max Scherzer, and left fielder Jeff McNeil playing what would have been a sacrifice fly and the second out into a ground-rule double by Adam Eaton that made it 4-0 Nats...

The Marlins made a late comeback in the bottom of the ninth, but the Mets finished them off to sweep their first series of 2019 on Wednesday night. >> Box score

Five things to know about Tuesday's game

1) Jacob deGrom asserted his dominance once more, and collected a career-high 14 strikeouts in the process. Everything was working for deGrom in this one, as he mixed things up each time he went through the Marlins lineup. He allowed only two hits and walked one batter over his seven-inning, 114-pitch outing. DeGrom also helped himself out with a solo homer in the top of the third as well. The 2018 Cy Young winner just does it all.

The Mets' bullpen nearly let a 6-2 lead evaporate against the Marlins on Tuesday night, as most of the pitchers who came out of the 'pen struggled. And while Mickey Callaway's bullpen management was questioned during the game, something he revealed after the game made it even more curious.

Here are three reasons why his bullpen management -- which must improve if the Mets want to contend in a division that is expected to be the toughest in baseball -- left a lot to be desired on Tuesday night...

Lugo was left in while struggling -- and sick

In the wake of making the postseason in 2015 and 2016, the Mets have gone 147-177, fired their manager, watched the face of their franchise retire, and have taken a gamble by hiring a former agent to lead their revival.

In five months, Brodie Van Wagenen has modernized the organization's front office and staff, has added five former All Stars, stabilized the depth and back end of the roster, and inked Jacob deGrom to a contract extension. At the same time, during the past two years, a shift has been created in the NL East with a large crop of young talent emerging and older players either leaving or switching teams.

The dust has settled and, to the surprise of most New York fans -- myself included -- the Mets are projected to contend for the NL East title. However, so are three other teams...

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With Opening Day one week away, things are starting to come into focus for the Mets. Here's how we see things shaking out in our 25-man Roster Prediction 3.0...

Starting Rotation (5)

1. Jacob deGrom, RHP
2. Noah Syndergaard, RHP
3. Zack Wheeler, RHP
4. Steven Matz, LHP
5. Jason Vargas, LHP

Mets reliever Drew Smith, who seemed on track to be in the Opening Day bullpen, needs Tommy John surgery, manager Mickey Callaway said Monday.

Smith, who had been sent back to New York to be evaluated by team doctors, is out for the season. 

The 25-year-old Smith had been solid so far in Spring Training, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings while walking three and striking out four. 

The Mets beat the Cardinals, 9-1, on Sunday afternoon at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie. >> Box score

Six things to know about Sunday's game

1. As the first base battle raged on, Pete Alonso (who was the DH) went 1-for-3 with a walk (his OPS is 1.297)., and Dominic Smith (who started at first base) went 1-for-3 with a run scored (his OPs is 1.060)...

The Mets (7-8-1) host the Cardinals (6-7) on Sunday at First Data Field at 1:10 p.m. on WPIX. 

Mets Notes...

Amed Rosario returns to the lineup for the first time since exiting the game on March 4 after getting hit in the hand with a pitch. ... Jeff McNeil gets the start at third base as the Mets prepare for the possibility that neither Todd Frazier or Jed Lowrie will be ready for Opening Day. ... Steven Matz is on the mound. 

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

With Opening Day three weeks away, the Mets are dealing with injuries to Jed Lowrie and Todd Frazier, getting terrific Spring Training production from a refreshed Dominic Smith, and slowly working Travis d'Arnaud back into the swing of things. Here's how we see things shaking out in our 25-man Roster Prediction 2.0...

Starting Rotation (5)

1. Jacob deGrom, RHP
2. Noah Syndergaard, RHP
3. Steven Matz, LHP
4. Zack Wheeler, RHP
5. Jason Vargas, LHP

The Mets lost to the Marlins, 3-1, on Tuesday afternoon >> Box score

Five things to know about Tuesday's game

1. Jason Vargas tiptoed around trouble, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings while allowing four hits, walking one, and striking out two. His ERA this spring is 2.08.

The Mets (6-5-1) travel to face the Marlins (3-7) on Tuesday at 1:10 p.m. 

Mets Notes...

Brandon Nimmo will serve as the DH for the second-straight game, while Michael Conforto gets the start in right field. ... Jason Vargas makes his second start of the spring. ... Edwin Diaz is scheduled to pitch in relief. 

The Mets (1-1-1) face the Tigers (1-2) on Tuesday at 1:10 p.m. at First Data Field in Port St. Lucie. 

Mets Notes...

Brandon Nimmo and Zack Wheeler make their Grapefruit League debut along with many of the regulars, while the Mets' split squad is in Disney to face the Braves. Pete Alonso is among those making the trip to Disney, where Corey Oswalt gets the start.

This offseason, the back of the Mets' bullpen received a serious upgrade with Edwin Diaz coming aboard via trade, and Jeurys Familia making a free-agency return to Queens. Players like Justin Wilson, a veteran left-hander the Mets needed, joins the squad as well.

And then there's Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman, who come into Spring Training welcoming these new faces with open arms. Gsellman knows exactly how lethal this bullpen can be this season.

"My role doesn't really matter," he said after a workout in Port St. Lucie on Saturday. "We signed the best closer in baseball, we signed the second-best closer in baseball in Familia as well. So we're going to be really good depth-wise with Justin Wilson too. I'm just really excited to get going, to learn from those guys. It's just going to be a great year."

John Harper, SNY.tv | Twitter |

For all of the promise their starting rotation offers in 2019, the Mets badly need to add depth there as insurance against the inevitable injuries that will occur. 

My solution? Sign David Robertson. 

Let me explain.

And just like that, RHP Jeurys Familia is back.

The Mets and Familia agreed to a three-year deal, worth $30 million to bring the former closer back to their bullpen, the team officially announced on Friday.

"We are excited to bring Jeurys back to Flushing," Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen said in an official statement. "Jeurys is a familiar face and an accomplished, elite reliever with experience that will fit well in our clubhouse."

The Mets might not be done adding high-end relievers after their reunion with Jeurys Familia, who is back on a three-year deal worth $30 million. 

And while Familia isn't a bright and shiny new toy, his signing is a damn good one. And it will remain a damn good one regardless of the moves the team makes from here.

Here are three reasons why...

Mets OF Brandon Nimmo thinks the Mets are "getting the best of both worlds" with agent-turned-GM Brodie Van Wagenen.  

"I think you're gonna get someone who's really in to the analytics -- knows how to read 'em -- but also has that baseball mindset where he's gonna let the analytics kind of help him make baseball decisions and not the other way around," Nimmo said. "So I think we're getting the best of both worlds in that. I'm excited to see what he's gonna do."

Nimmo, who said he has spoken with Van Wagenen, cited his intelligence, but also seemed excited that the new GM had played the game before -- with Nimmo saying Van Wagenen was an injury shy of playing in the pros...

Brodie Van Wagenen has switched sides at the bargaining table, going from being an agent at CAA to the Mets' new GM. On Tuesday, Todd Frazier became the first of Van Wagenen's clients to weigh in on the switch.

"I've known him a very long time," Frazier told Matt Ehalt of The Record. "He is a great person who's also really smart and knows the game well. This is a great start for us going into the offseason."

Van Wagenen said during his introductory press conference on Tuesday that he had spoken to a number of his former clients about the move, and suggested they were happy about it...

Steven Matz struck out 11 batters in seven innings and Todd Frazier drove in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning to lead the Mets to a 2-1 win over the Giants on Saturday afternoon in San Francisco.

For a full box score of the game, click here

Things you should know about today's game...

1) With the Mets trailing 1-0 in the fifth, Tomas Nido plated Brandon Nimmo to account for New York's only run until Frazier's sacrifice fly in the 11th inning. Amed Rosario hit a two-out triple in the fifth inning and Wilmer Flores, Jay Bruce, Michael Conforto, and Austin Jackson also had hits for the Mets. 

Despite taking a shutout into the seventh inning, Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard was charged with four runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings in Monday's 6-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field.

Syndergaard struck out six batters and allowed just four hits through the first six innings, but failed to retire any of the final four batters he faced, leaving the game in the bullpen's hands.

"I didn't feel like I had the best stuff in terms of mechanically, in terms of stuff," Syndergaard said after the game. "I was able to go out there and survive through six and just kind of ran out of gas in the seventh."

The Mets' bullpen faltered a little, but stayed strong to get their first win of the second half over the Yankees, 7-5, in the Bronx Friday night. 

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about today's game...

Mets RHP Robert Gsellman can finally rejoice -- his Xbox has returned. 

It was Gsellman's birthday on Wednesday, and fellow pitcher Noah Syndergaard decided to gift -- or should I say return -- Gsellman's Xbox to him. Gsellman, though, didn't think it should be considered a gift from Thor.

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE TWEET

The Mets provided some quality run support during Noah Syndergaard's long-awaited return to Citi Field, and he repaid them by setting the tone for a 4-2 win over their division rival on Friday night. 

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

Before the Mets took on the Blue Jays on the Fourth of July, some decided to go sightseeing in Toronto. For Robert Gsellman and Jerry Blevins, they took that to the extreme. 

Gsellman and Blevins were among Mets players that participated in the CN Tower EdgeWalk, which is a thrilling task where people take in the city of Toronto at the top of their most famous tower. Gsellman posted to his Instagram story to show the world of his accomplished feat. 

The Mets had the lead again in Toronto, but this time, they kept it to the end as the split the two-game series with the Blue Jays after a 6-3 victory on Wednesday night. 

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

The Mets had the lead again in Toronto, but this time, they kept it to the end as the split the two-game series with the Blue Jays after a 6-3 victory on Wednesday night. 

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

The Mets will be pitched by teams looking to acquire Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard. However, despite all the buzz, I expect both pitchers will continue being Mets at least through the next two seasons.

Frankly, the only way I see either of these two pitchers being traded is if a new GM and front office takes the wheel. Otherwise, it's ride or die with deGrom and Syndergaard for Sandy Alderson. 

Similarly, while there will be interest in (and it's worth listening to offers for) Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman, my hunch is Alderson would prefer to keep them as well -- especially given the delicate state of his rotation.

The Mets failed to hold a pair of multi-run leads in dropping their second straight to the Rockies, 10-8, on Wednesday night at Coors Field.

For a full box score of the game, click here.

Things you should know about tonight's game...

1) After the Mets rallied to take an 8-6 lead into the bottom of the fifth, a usually rock-solid Robert Gsellman retired the first two batters before falling apart. He issued a walk to Ian Desmond, a single to Tom Murphy and a pinch-hit three-run homer to Ryan McMahon. Charlie Blackmon added a solo blast in the sixth for the final margin of victory.

Throughout a Mets season that has seen inconsistent, at best, production out of the bullpen, they have had two stalwarts: Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman. They have combined for a 2.32 ERA over 85.1 innings and offer the Mets the effectiveness and flexibility they sorely need.

Gsellman has been a workhorse out of the bullpen, pitching more than one inning in 11 of his 30 appearances, including two scoreless innings in Sunday's win against the Yankees. That outing brought his ERA for the year down to 2.95, with a 1.23 WHIP. Batters struggle to make quality contact against him, though his 3.9 walks per nine innings are higher than you'd like to see in a reliever who doesn't notch many strikeouts.

While Gsellman is establishing himself as a solid bullpen option, Lugo is taking it a step further and pitching like a true ace...

The Yankees were shut out for the first time in 2018 after their eighth-inning rally fell through in Sunday's 2-0 loss to the Mets at Citi Field. >> Box score

Things to know about Sunday's game

1) Down 2-0 in the eighth inning, the Yankees had runners on first and second thanks to Miguel Andujar's single and Aaron Judge reaching on two Jose Reyes errors on a neighborhood play on a potential double-play ball, but Gleyber Torres fouled out and Brett Gardner flied out to end the threat.

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | Seth Lugo wants to be in the Mets' starting rotation, and he fired four scoreless innings Thursday night in his potentially-brief return to the rotation. But in the Mets' "ideal world," Lugo won't be staying in the rotation.

"I think [Lugo] can definitely start," Mets manager Mickey Callaway said after Thursday night's game, before adding a caveat: "For us, in an ideal world, he's still in the bullpen helping our bullpen and some of the other guys are in the rotation."

The "some of the other guys" Callaway is referring to are Jason Vargas, Zack Wheeler, and Steven Matz...

Mets manager Mickey Callaway said before the season began that he wasn't going to use his bullpen conventionally, and he owned up to that on Wednesday night. 

Jeurys Familia was handed the ball in the eighth inning, and Robert Gsellman took over in the ninth for the Mets. Familia got himself into a jam with runners on the corners with one outs. However, Amed Rosario helped him out with a great diving play to start a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the inning.

Gsellman recorded a perfect 1-2-3 inning to pick up his second save on the season.

The Mets bullpen blew a 6-4 lead by allowing four runs in the seventh inning in Sunday's 8-7 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Relievers Robert Gsellman, Jerry Blevins and Paul Sewald surrendered four runs, four hits and a walk in one inning after Zack Wheeler settled down after a three-run third inning.

Gsellman retired two of the first three batters he faced before giving up a two-out walk to Jesus Aguilar. Manager Mickey Callaway opted to bring in Blevins, who had not given up a run in his last 11 appearances entering Sunday, to face Travis Shaw. A lefty specialist, left-handed hitters were 7-for-26 off Blevins entering Sunday. (By contrast, right-handed hitters were 1-for-10.)

Robert Gsellman has been one of the Mets' most valuable weapons in the bullpen this season, and manager Mickey Callaway believes a lot of that has to do with Gsellman's attitude and desire to learn.

"When I told him and we relayed the message to him that he was gonna be going to the pen, he embraced it from day one," Callaway told SNY's Steve Gelbs prior to Monday night's win over the Marlins at Citi Field. "And you have to do that to have success. And I think that's why he's having success." 

The 24-year-old Gsellman -- like Seth Lugo -- is adjusting to his full-time bullpen role on the fly. And while he is excelling -- with a 2.76 ERA and 1.19 WHIP to go along with 28 strikeouts in 29.1 innings (21 appearances), Gsellman is still learning...

The Mets entered their series with the Diamondbacks having lost seven of their previous eight games. Meanwhile, the Mets are 11-7 in starts made by Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard and 17-3 when the team scores four or more runs in a game.

In other words, with deGrom and Syndergaard pitching two of three games, during which the Mets scored 12 runs, sweeping the D-backs this past weekend should be what is expected from a team that entered this season hoping to make the postseason.

"That was a huge sweep," Syndergaard said after getting Sunday's win. "We'd kind of been struggling a little bit. But just as easily as we were struggling, it's that easy to turn it around."

Mickey Callaway's bullpen has faced the fifth-most batters in the National League since May 1.

They have faced the second-most batters this week thanks in large part to Jacob deGrom, who was pulled after just one inning during his most recent start due to throwing 45 pitches in the first inning. The next day, Noah Syndergaard pitched only five innings, and Zack Wheeler could only get through four innings Wednesday.

This is bad. It's only a three-game stretch, but it's not a new issue. Even when the Mets were playing their best baseball this season they were at best middle of the pack in this category...

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter |

Jason Vargas has been so bad since making his Mets debut last month that it's almost impossible to believe. The numbers: Three starts spanning 12.1 innings, with 19 runs allowed on 26 hits (including five home runs), while walking seven and striking out nine -- and failing to toss more than 4.2 innings in any of those starts.

Vargas is allowing hits on nearly half the balls that have been put in play against him (.447 BABIP). That's insane and will come down a lot, but he's also allowing the worst line drive percantage (26.0) and hard hit percentage (38.5) of his career. So, while Vargas should improve, what happens if he doesn't do so to the extent required to keep his rotation spot? Here are four internal options the Mets have to replace Vargas if it comes to it...

The Mets have gone 7-16 since starting the season 11-1. And their downward spiral culminated on Wednesday, when they lost their three-game series to the National League-worst Reds in Cincinnati.

Manager Mickey Callaway, who faced questions about the lineup snafu that cost the Mets a scoring chance in the first inning on Wednesday, said "It's tough right now," but is staying even-keeled. 

Danny Abriano, SNY.tv | Twitter | If the Mets had won Wednesday's game, the lineup incident would've been a funny aside. Instead, it's a main topic. But in the grand scheme of things, I couldn't give less of a damn about it. What I give a damn about is how the season has spiraled out of control with no immediate fix on the horizon...

Michelle Ioannou, MetsBlog | Twitter | Last week in Mets Land was not a good one. I was at three games this past week... and the Mets lost all of them. In fact, the Mets didn't win a game their entire homestand. Six straight losses.

I know, none of you want to recap this past week I don't blame you. It was a horrible. But there was a move that does need to be brought up again, and that is Matt Harvey. Harvey refused a minor league assignment (to no one's surprise) and was DFA'd by the Mets. I already spoke about this more in depth, but it was a move that had to be made. And it was sad that it had to come to this. The irony of all of this, though? Hansel Robles was called up to replace Harvey in the bullpen. Yes, a sentence you likely never thought you'd hear (and likely never wanted to hear).

Speaking of Robles, he came back with a bang (and a point) by giving up a home run to Ian Desmond on Sunday in his first appearance back. The Mets went on to lose this game, but the biggest shockers of the game were that Noah Syndergaard walked in a run and Robles then somehow had a scoreless ninth inning despite giving up the above mentioned homer in the eighth...

Michelle Ioannou, MetsBlog | Twitter | 

This week in Mets Land we had a couple of birthdays -- both mine and Gary Cohen!

Whereas I was dying on my couch with a 103-degree fever watching the Mets forget how to play defense and losing in extra innings for my birthday on Thursday, Gary was serenaded and blessed with a Mets win for his on Sunday. Happy birthday, Gare!