New-look Mets get Paul Skenes-sized first test — and they’re ‘hungry to win’
NY Post
Napalm, as an incendiary agent, has nothing on the manner president of baseball operations David Stearns approached the roster after the Mets missed the playoffs last year.
Stearns blew up the foundation and rebuilt. The first look at his new vision for the Mets will be on display in Thursday’s season opener against the Pirates at Citi Field, with Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, as part of the resistance.
Bo Bichette, Jorge Polanco, Marcus Semien, Luis Robert Jr., Carson Benge and Freddy Peralta are among those who will get their first exposure to the New York scene as part of the home team.
Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and Edwin Díaz will be scattered across the continent, playing or preparing for Opening Day elsewhere.
In sum, the Mets subtracted the franchise’s all-time home run leader (Alonso), a fan favorite (Nimmo), a former batting champion (McNeil) and the most electric closer in team history (Díaz).
Seldom, if ever, have the Mets looked so different between the final pitch of one season and the start of the next.
Veteran Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David is retiring after 14 NFL seasons, all with Tampa Bay, the team announced on Tuesday.
The Minnesota fire that killed NHL reporter Jessi Pierce and her three children is not being labeled an arson case, according to the White Bear Lake fire department.
First, there was Tom Seaver.
Michael Pittman Jr. has a gut feeling.
PORTLAND, Ore. — Toumani Camara had career highs of nine 3-pointers and 35 points to help Portland beat the Brooklyn Nets 134-99 on Monday night, the Trail Blazers’ largest margin of victory this season.
The Rangers hit the mark with their on-ice ceremony honoring Mika Zibanejad ahead of his 1,000th NHL game Monday night.
PORT ST. LUCIE — For now, Craig Kimbrel is choosing Mets purgatory.
‘Freak of nature: Zion Williamson’s resurgence could pose a Knicks problem versus motivated Pelicans
Zion Williamson is slimmer and healthier for his trip to MSG.
Don’t blame Mikal Bridges for his paltry stats. Blame the role.
Almost a year to the day after a goaltender interference call against Kyle Palmieri lost the Islanders a game against the Blue Jackets that started their season’s death spiral, they were on the wrong end of another controversial call against those same Blue Jackets that might have had the same effect.
On the Queens side of town, the reno began in earnest almost as soon as Francisco Lindor grounded into the 4-6-3 double play. That ended a 4-0 loss before a rare sizable crowd at Miami’s loanDepot Park last Sept. 27, all of them there to witness the final death rattles of an epic baseball calamity.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba is being paid handsomely for his breakout season.
Next comes the harder part. Mostly because it can’t get any easier.