MJ Melendez - MLB News, Rumors, & Updates

Mark Vientos hits 2 homers, drives in 4 runs to power Mets to a 5-1 win over Angels

Mark Vientos hit two home runs and right-hander Clay Holmes allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings as the New York Mets beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-1 on Sunday

6 DAYS AGO • Associated Press

5 Things We've Learned About The $370 Million, Last-Place Mets Through Their First 31 Games

Here are five things we've learned about the Mets through their first 31 games of the season.

APRIL 30 • FOX SPORTS

5 Things We've Learned About The $370 Million, Last-Place Mets Through Their First 31 Games

Nationals vs Mets Highlights ⚾️ MLB on FOX

APRIL 30 • FOX SPORTS

Weaver says losing is weighing on Mets, who find season suffocating after 17th loss in 20 games

Luke Weaver thinks losing is weighing on the Mets and New York is being suffocated by its poor play

APRIL 30 • Associated Press

Mets tumble to 17th loss in 20 games, Nationals win 5-4 on Abrams' go-ahead, 2-run homer in 8th

CJ Abrams hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the eighth inning and the Washington Nationals beat the Mets 5-4, dealing reeling New York its 17th loss in 20 games

APRIL 30 • Associated Press

Stays hot Thursday Melendez went 2-for-2 with a three-run home run in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Nationals.

Impact Melendez launched his second homer of the season Thursday, and he's fared well at the dish overall since being called up from Triple-A Syracuse. Over his first 29 at-bats for the Mets, the 27-year-old outfielder is hitting .345 with five extra-base hits, six RBI and three walks. New York is short on available outfield options, as Juan Soto (forearm) is limited and Luis Robert (back) is on the injured list, so Melendez could play nearly every day in the meantime.

APRIL 30 • ROTOWIRE

New York Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. sent for MRI on ailing back

Mets center fielder Luis Robert Jr. remained out of the lineup Wednesday night against Washington and was sent for imaging, the latest issue for a New York team already in an early...

APRIL 29 • Associated Press

Soto and Bichette go deep as slumping Mets break out at the plate in 8-0 win over Nationals

Juan Soto hit a two-run homer that capped a seven-run fourth inning and the New York Mets breezed to an 8-0 victory over the Washington Nationals

APRIL 29 • Associated Press

Heading to bench Wednesday Melendez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.

Impact Left-hander Connor Prielipp is on the bump for Minnesota, so the left-handed-hitting Melendez will retreat to the bench after he had started in each of the Mets' previous five games. The Mets will ease Juan Soto (calf) back in following a stint on the injured list by deploying him at designated hitter, but he'll likely resume playing left field on a full-time basis in short order to keep the DH spot open for Melendez. The 27-year-old has posted a 1.014 OPS through his first five games with New York since getting recalled from Triple-A Syracuse and should continue to play regularly versus right-handed pitching so long as he's wielding a hot bat.

APRIL 22 • ROTOWIRE

Slugs first homer of 2026 Melendez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's loss to the Cubs.

Impact The former Royal took Javier Assad deep in the fifth inning, but it proved to be the Mets' only run in an extra-inning loss. Melendez has been a rare bright spot in the New York lineup since being called up last week, going 5-for-14 (.357) with two doubles and one homer, but that success could evaporate quickly -- he struck out three times Sunday, and has fanned eight times total in his first 16 plate appearances this season. Melendez will need to stay productive to keep getting consistent playing time once Juan Soto (calf) has rejoined the lineup.

APRIL 20 • ROTOWIRE

Cubs hand Mets their 11th straight loss by rallying for a 2-1 win in 10 innings

Nico Hoerner hit a sacrifice fly off Craig Kimbrel in the 10th inning, and the Chicago Cubs sent the New York Mets to their 11th consecutive loss by rallying for a 2-1 victory

APRIL 19 • Associated Press

Gaining traction in lineup Melendez will start at designated hitter and bat fifth in Sunday's game against the Cubs.

Impact Melendez will pick up his fourth straight start after going 4-for-10 with two doubles, two walks, one run and one RBI since receiving a call-up from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. With Jorge Polanco (wrist) recently landing on the injured list, Melendez should have a fairly clear path to regular playing time against right-handed pitching, especially while he's wielding one of the hotter bats for a Mets squad that is taking a 10-game losing streak into Sunday.

APRIL 19 • ROTOWIRE

Two doubles in Mets debut Melendez went 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Dodgers.

Impact Getting the start at DH and batting eighth in his season debut, Melendez banged out two-baggers against Shohei Ohtani in the third and fifth innings, with the second bringing home the Mets' first run of the night. Melendez could see consistent at-bats against right-handed pitching in the short term while Juan Soto (calf) and others are on the shelf, especially if he keeps supplying a slumbering offense with a spark, but the former Royal's career .216/.297/.389 slash line in the majors doesn't offer much optimism that he'll carve out a long-term spot on the roster.

APRIL 16 • ROTOWIRE

4 Takeaways From the Dodgers' Sweep Over the Mets

The Dodgers are the best team in MLB, while the Mets' struggle continues.

APRIL 16 • FOX SPORTS

4 Takeaways From the Dodgers' Sweep Over the Mets

Ohtani skips the bat, keeps the heat: 10 strikeouts as Dodgers send Mets to a 8th straight loss

Shohei Ohtani pitched six strong innings, striking out 10, as the Los Angeles Dodgers routed the New York Mets 8-2

APRIL 16 • Associated Press

Shohei Ohtani pitches but doesn't bat for first time since 2021. He's still sore from a hit-by-pitch

Shohei Ohtani was the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday night but he was held out of the lineup as designated hitter

APRIL 16 • Associated Press

Recalled by NYM The Mets recalled Melendez from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday.

Impact Melendez opened the season in Triple-A after failing to make the Mets' Opening Day roster, where he is slashing .216/.286/.431 with one steal (on three attempts), two home runs and three RBI in 56 plate appearances. He'll give the Mets depth in the outfield after Jacob Young (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.

APRIL 15 • ROTOWIRE

Misses Opening Day roster The Mets optioned Melendez to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.

Impact The 27-year-old joined the Mets on a one-year, $1.5 million contract in February after being non-tendered by the Royals at the start of the offseason. Melendez went 4-for-11 with two homers in his four spring games with the Mets but struggled for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, going 0-for-4 with two walks and two strikeouts. He could be up with the Mets at some point this season with Juan Soto, Luis Robert, Carson Benge and Tyrone Taylor set to begin the campaign as the club's top four outfielders.

MARCH 17 • ROTOWIRE

New York Mets sign outfielder MJ Melendez to a 1-year contract

MJ Melendez and the New York Mets have agreed to a one-year contract, adding depth to an outfield thinned by offseason trades

FEBRUARY 13 • Associated Press

Mets sign former top prospect MJ Melendez to one-year deal The Mets have added some positional versatility ahead of the 2026 season.

FEBRUARY 8 • NYPOST.COM

Inks deal with NYM Melendez agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Mets on Sunday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.

Impact The 27-year-old was non-tendered by the Royals in November, but he was eventually able to land an MLB contract for 2026. The Mets have avoided spending big on a left fielder this winter with top prospect Carson Benge on the cusp of his major-league debut, but Melendez represents a low-cost option that provides short-term depth. Melendez clubbed 51 homers from 2022 to 2024 but has a career .215 average in the majors and played in just 23 big-league games last season.

FEBRUARY 8 • ROTOWIRE

Cut loose by KC The Royals did not tender Melendez a contract for 2026 on Friday, making him a free agent.

Impact Melendez had the potential to be a key lineup piece for Kansas City after clubbing 18 homers as a rookie in 2022 and posting a .714 OPS the following season, but he regressed the past two years. The 26-year-old went 5-for-65 with a 35.4 percent strikeout rate in just 23 big-league games during 2025.

NOVEMBER 21, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Back to Triple-A The Royals optioned Melendez to Triple-A Omaha on Friday.

Impact With the Royals' acquisitions of Randal Grichuk and Mike Yastrzemski this past week, Melendez will head back to the minors. Melendez has slashed an ugly .083/.154/.167 with one home run, one RBI, five runs scored and a 3:23 BB:K across 65 plate appearances at the major-league level this season.

AUGUST 1, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Royals' trade deadline moves aim to balance winning now and building for the future

The Kansas City Royals have made strategic moves at the trade deadline, acting as both buyers and sellers

AUGUST 1, 2025 • Associated Press

Nine pitchers, one shutout: How the Royals made history against the Braves with a 1-0 victory

The Kansas City Royals have made history by using nine relievers to achieve a 1-0 shutout against the Atlanta Braves

JULY 30, 2025 • Associated Press

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