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He's back... with an N-Y on his cap.  Gary Sanchez made his Mets debut over the weekend.  No home runs yet, but none of the fielding miscues that led to his exile from the Bronx.  With Buck Showalter's catching corps thinned by injury, the former Yankee will split time with the promising, but still inexperienced Francisco Alvarez for the time being.

Below:  Showalter seems to have trouble finding a spot for Mark Vientos.  After crushing Triple A pitching (13 homers and 11 doubles) for the first six weeks, he's only made it into three games since being recalled.  It probably doesn't help that two other graduates of the Mets farm system, Brett Baty and Pete Alonso (the MLB leader in homers) are blocking him at the infield corners.  Daniel Vogelbach still ranks ahead of him as a DH.  And Gary Sanchez might get some DH time as well, especially if he starts to show the power from his Yankee years.  This might turn Vientos into trade bait as we move towards deadline time just over two months from now.

The Yankees had to be pleased by Luis Severino's 2023 debut.  4-2/3 effective innings in Sunday's series-sweeping victory in Cincinnati.  The veteran righty -- a free agent at season's end -- checked all the boxes he could, with 75 pitches (five k's and just one walk).  The big question remains "for how long?"  How long will this brilliant, but oft-injured pitcher stay healthy?

Below:  Bryson Stott picked a great time for his first career pinch-homer.  Sunday's 7th inning blast broke a scoreless tie and gave the Phillies the runs they needed to hold off the Cubs 2-1.

Finally, it's back to the Boys of Flushing:

Nice job Sunday night by Justin Verlander, whose fourth start for the Mets was his best yet.  Showing vintage form over eight innings, the 40 year old held the Guardians to a Jose Ramirez home run in a 2-1 victory on national TV.



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