They played together, won a championship (1986) together, conquered off-field demons together, and now their jerseys will be retired where they will hang together, forever.
The dates are set for MLBbros Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden to have their Jerseys retired by the New York Mets in the 2024 MLB season.
Dwight “Doc” Gooden’s date with Mets immortality is set for April 14th when the Mets face off against the Kansas City Royals. In his 11 season with the Mets, Dr, K served up a prescription that made him second in franchise history in wins (157), strikeouts (1,875), and WAR (41.6).
Let’s not forget the way he hit MLB like a nuclear bomb, winning Rookie of the Year (1984) and the Cy Young Award (1985) in his first two seasons. A new era of Mets baseball was ushered in by a 19-year-old phenom from Florida.
“Even when I was with the Yankees, I always considered myself a Met…” Gooden would say about the honor. “I can’t thank [owners] Steve and Alex [Cohen] and the board enough to give me this great honor I can share with my teammates, the fans and my family. I’m looking forward to this day. It’s the greatest honor I can achieve in baseball”.
Darryl Strawberry’s No. 18 will be retired in a ceremony scheduled for June 1st before the Mets take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“I’m so glad we had this opportunity to play in New York City in the National League at Shea Stadium. I wouldn’t trade it in for anything…” Strawberry said. “To be able to have this honor, your number is going to be retired and that’s forever, its bigger than going into the Hall of Fame.”
The history with drugs and alcohol is well documented with both players, but they also rebounded and made sure their personal struggles were not the entire story of their lives. Both men have gotten back on the right path, and nobody can take away the tremendous impact both of these MLBbros had on the franchise, baseball in the ’80s and the generations of MLBbros who followed in their footsteps.
Strawberry is now a traveling minister and Gooden visits schools to talk to children about drugs and alcohol use. While this may be their greatest accomplishment, having your Jersey retired is pretty cool too.
On a special night, where a very rare Super Blue moon rose in the sky, Mets fans were treated to what will be more remembered in Queens as the “DJ Stewart game”.
The New York Mets avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of the Texas Rangers, prevailing 6-5.
Playing against a Rangers club with multiple All-Stars, it was Stewart who shined brightest on the field, blasting two home runs and driving in four runs. In the 10th inning, facing Aroldis Chapman with the bases loaded, DJ was hit with the first pitch of the at-bat, ending the game on a walk off hit-by-pitch, Stewart’s first career walk-off RBI.
"I love New York. I really enjoy being here. My family enjoys it, so I'm hoping I'm doing enough to stay here."
DJ hadn’t had much success against “The Cuban Missle” in his career, going 0-4, with three strike outs prior to his game winning at-bat. However, it was that kind’ve night.
The two bro bombs on the night were the 4th multi home run game of his career, and the second this year with the Mets. DJ has now hit eight home runs in his last 13 games. He’s batting .378, 8 HRS, with a 1.406 OPS over that span.
DJ also showed he’s more than just a one-dimensional player by robbing fellow MLBbro Marcus Semien, of an extra base hit in the 9th inning, holding onto the ball while crashing into the right centerfield wall, effectively saving the game before walking it off.
Much has been said about the power Stewart has displayed, but his defense has been solid in right field. The energy he provided to the team fueled the Mets win and had the home fans chanting his name.
Looking to earn a spot-on next year’s big-league roster, Stewart has made a great impression so far. Sometimes high draft picks take more time to develop, and franchises run out of patience under the pressure to win. Some of these same players never get an opportunity to prove their worth before being forced out of the league.
The timing seems just seems right in Queens for DJ.
It appears that his hard work in the cage, desire to feed his family through pro baseball, plus manager Buck Showalter’s trust in him, are starting to bear fruit.
We don’t want to overreact, as we know, players often get hot and go cold. But, if Stewart can continue to play this way — the way he was expected to play when he was drafted as a first-round pick in 2015 — he will have a job with the Mets, or perhaps some other MLB team.
The New York Mets traded future Hall of Fame pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer for top-level minor-league prospects at the MLB trade deadline. MLBbro Tommy Pham, who unexpectedly became one of the Mets best players this year, was also traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a prospect, leaving the franchise without any MLBbros left on the 40-man roster.
Until they dealt reliever Dominic Leone to the Los Angeles Angels for infield prospect Jeremiah Jackson.
If you haven’t heard of Jackson, just check out his highlights, he’s a very intriguing prospect. The 2018 Alabama “Mr. Baseball” has displayed above average pop for a shortstop with 15 bombs for the Rocket City Trash Pandas.
His 21 stolen bases on the season indicate it would be wise to monitor him when he gets on bases. The power and speed Jeremiah has in his game just happens to be two of the Mets biggest weaknesses. They lack dynamic, skill players that winning franchises like the Atlanta Braves boast.
Via MLB.com: “The Angels’ second-round pick in the 2018 Draft, Jackson …has teased with his offensive potential, particularly his power, since signing. He set the bar high when his 23 homers established a Pioneer League record in 2019, with injuries and inconsistencies slowing him since. He missed a good chunk of time in 2021, his full-season debut, with a quad injury and then an oblique strain forced him out for a month and a half in 2022. The Angels didn’t protect him on the 40-man roster and he wasn’t selected in the Rule 5 Draft. He was back to being healthy and was a league-average bat for Double-A Rocket City in 2023 before he was traded to the Mets.
Jackson still has the loud, albeit raw, tools that made him a second-round pick. He’s capable of leaving the yard in any plate appearance. The ball jumps off his bat, and even with the time missed and some issues with his overall approach, he still hit 24 homers in 136 combined games in 2021 and 2022. He has wiry strength with bat speed and loft, with the power especially to his pull side. He did cut down his strikeouts in 2022, but his ability to make consistent hard contact still has not shown up”.
Leone, was 1-3 with a 4.40 ERA in 31 games for New York this season. Getting a talent such as Jeremiah Jackson back in this trade is something to look out for. Fans of the team may end up looking back at this trade fondly, believing they got a steal. If he can add contact skills to his power and athleticism, the Mets will find a spot for him on the big league roster.
Two MLBbro pitchers have dominated this season for their respective National League teams. Marcus Stroman and Taijuan Walker have stepped up significantly and have shown why they are among the best hurlers in the game.
Just two years ago, these two were both playing for the New York Mets. Fast forward to 2023, and Stroman and Walker both have nine wins on the season and are putting up valid numbers to show that they mean business out there. And the Mets, who had championship expectations going into the season, have struggled.
Mets Struggling Since Walker & Stro Show Left Town
The Mets are fourth in the NL East and things could have looked a lot different if they hung onto Walker and Stroman, especially with how the former Mets starters have been pitching this year.
During that 2021 season, the two MLBbro’s were at the top of the win column for the Mets, with Stroman leading the way with 10 wins.
Yes the Mets went out and acquired nine-time all-star and two-time World Series champ Justin Verlander to pair up with his former teammate Max Scherzer. But the bros have had a better season so far, no question about that.
Fly Tai Walker Was Lights Out In May
Taijuan Walker is leading his team in wins, and in June, he went 5-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 34 strikeouts.
Walker has certainly put up the numbers and show why he’s one of the best arms on the Phillies roster.
He’s on a path to set a career high in wins this season. Walker is only three wins away from tying his career high in wins, which he set last season playing for the Mets.
Walker has always been a competitor and has had what it takes to be one of the top pitchers in the league.
It will be exciting to see how he finishes the season and if we’ll get the opportunity to watch him out there on the mound come September.
Our other MLBbro, Marcus Stroman, has been a workhorse in his second season with the Cubs. This season, he’s already surpassed his win total from last year (6) and he’s tied for first on the team with nine wins this season.
Stroman has also put together an impressive season so far and he will appear in his second All-Star game this season.
Marcus Stroman Has Been Cy Young Caliber: Will He Be Traded To A Contender?
On the season, Stroman has a 9-6 record with a 2.76 ERA, one of the best in the National League. We all know how exciting it is to watch Stroman on the mound and he is a player any team would love to have on their roster.
Stroman could also set a career-high in wins. His current career-high is 13, which he set back in 2017 with the Toronto Blue Jays.
And Stroman could find himself playing for another team that could contend for a playoff spot. He’s certainly proved his value this season.
Mets Could Use The Tandem Of Marcus Stroman & Taijuan Walker This Season
The Mets are struggling with injuries to high-priced free agents while plummeting down the NL East standings. The thing they need the most is some young, reliable arms who can win games and be available to carry workhorse loads every fifth day.
They had that just last season and now the youth is gone and the truth is that the Mets miscalculated and undervalued these magnificent hurlers. Let em’ walk right out the door.
How different would the Mets’ fortunes by with these guys in the fold?
Both Walker and Stroman have represented the Bro’s well this season and they aren’t done. Make sure to keep an eye on these live melanated arms throughout the season.
The New York Mets have struggled mightily this year. The team is six games under .500 and have lost six out of their last ten games.
And, while the Mets have been falling fast, now sitting in fourth place in the American League East Division, there has been at least one bright spot on the team. MLBbro Tommy Pham has more than delivered in the Big Apple this year. After signing a one year/ $6,000,000 contract this past offseason, Pham has become a very reliable hitter for the Mets.
The Mets signed the MLBbro to provide depth rather than to find a star. He was mainly brought on to be a utility role player that suited up against left-handed pitchers. With the ability to play all three outfield spots, there was much reason to sign the MLBbro, but the return on this investment is more than the Mets could have hoped for.
Pham is batting .260 with seven home runs and 28 RBI. He’s been exceptional in June, batting .321 with four home runs and 14 RBI. Pham has been excellent in run-producing situations, batting .343 with RISP.
Even in his last game, in which the Mets lost 10-8, Pham only had one hit, but he walked twice and stole two bases. The MLBbro has found many ways to prove his versatility and value to the team.
The Mets came into the year with World Series aspirations, but at the moment, they are fighting to get back to a winning record. Their first goal is to gain some ground in the NL East. Pretty soon, they will have to determine if they will be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.
This will likely depend on the success of the team, and if the other Mets’ hitters come around. With a very team-friendly contract, Pham could possibly be sold high to a contending team after the all-star break if the Mets continue to falter. If the MLBbro can continue to provide exceptional hitting with his usual solid defense, Pham will be a hot commodity on the free agent market this summer and able to sign a multi-year exclusive deal with the team of his choice.
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