The Mets optioned Melendez to Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.
Melendez had a hot first couple weeks with the Mets in producing a 1.024 OPS in his first 16 games, but he stumbled to a .123/.273/.222 batting line over his last 40 contests. Tyrone Taylor (hip) has returned from the injured list in a corresponding move.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: Taking seat for series finale
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.
The Mets are giving Francisco Alvarez a night off from catching but keeping his bat in the lineup at designated hitter, so Melendez will be squeezed out of the starting nine as a result. Melendez has gone hitless in nine at-bats over his last five games, bringing his average down to .191 for the season.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: Heading to bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Cardinals.
Melendez had started in four of the team's previous five matchups with right-handed pitchers, but the Mets won't have room for him in the lineup Wednesday while Francisco Alvarez handles designated-hitter duties in his second game back from the IL. Since the start of May, Melendez has posted a weak .533 OPS, so he likely still has more work to do in order to strengthen his grasp on a regular lineup sot.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: Falling out of favor
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins.
Melendez will be on the bench for the fourth straight game and appears to have lost hold of his strong-side platoon role at designated hitter. Jared Young will get a third consecutive start at DH after going 2-for-6 with a solo home run, a walk and two additional runs over the first two contests of the series.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: Out of Friday's lineup
Rotowire
Melendez is not in the lineup for Friday's contest against the Marlins.
After getting off to a hot start for the Mets, Melendez is just 2-for-35 across his last 18 games. The Mets will go with Jared Young at designated hitter against Marlins right-hander Max Meyer.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: On bench against lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
The left-handed-hitting Melendez will take a seat for the second time in the series while the Reds send another lefty (Andrew Abbott) to the bump. Eric Wagaman will step in for Melendez as the Mets' designated hitter and will bat seventh.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: Idle against right-hander
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Nationals.
Since the calendar flipped to May, Melendez's performance has taken a dramatic step backward. Over 15 games on the month, Melendez has slashed just .138/.286/.207 with one extra-base hit and a 34.3 percent strikeout rate. Now on the bench Monday against a righty starter (Jake Irvin) after most of his previous absences had come versus left-handed pitching, Melendez could be losing hold of his strong-side platoon role.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: Stays hot Thursday
Rotowire
Melendez went 2-for-2 with a three-run home run in Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Nationals.
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 should play most days versus righties in the meantime.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: Gaining traction in lineup
Rotowire
Melendez will start at designated hitter and bat fifth in Sunday's game against the Cubs.
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) landing on the injured list, Melendez should have a fairly clear path to regular playing time against right-handed pitching, at least until Juan Soto (calf) is back.
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Mets' Jorge Polanco: Placed on IL
Rotowire
The Mets placed Polanco on the 10-day injured list Saturday with a right wrist contusion, retroactive to Wednesday.
Polanco has been dealing with a nagging Achilles injury all season, but he got imaging done on his right wrist Friday, and although he seems to be dealing with just a bruise, the Mets will put him on the IL anyway. MJ Melendez is a candidate to see more time at DH while Polanco is sidelined, and Hayden Senger will come up from Triple-A to round out the active roster.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: Two doubles in Mets debut
Rotowire
Melendez went 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in Wednesday's loss to the Dodgers.
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.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: Recalled, serving as DH
Rotowire
The Mets recalled Melendez from Triple-A Syracuse, and he will serve as the team's designated hitter and bat eighth against the Dodgers on Wednesday.
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 Jared Young (knee) was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday.
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Mets' MJ Melendez: Misses Opening Day roster
Rotowire
The Mets optioned Melendez to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday.
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.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Back to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Royals optioned Melendez to Triple-A Omaha on Friday.
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.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Sitting again Saturday
Rotowire
Melendez isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Detroit.
Melendez has now been absent from the starting nine in each of Kansas City's last three games, which indicates a change in the depth chart following a 4-for-47 start from the 26-year-old. Drew Waters will start in left field and bat seventh.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Hits first homer of 2025
Rotowire
Melendez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Yankees.
Melendez entered Tuesday's game with a .285 OPS, 36.4 strikeout rate and zero RBI across 44 plate appearances, but he managed to get the Royals on the board with a solo homer off Max Fried in the third inning. Melendez's early-season play has put him in jeopardy of losing out on his starting role, but Tuesday's homer may be a sign of things to come for the Royals and the 26-year-old outfielder.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Moves to bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.
The Royals often shield the left-handed-hitting Melendez from opposing southpaws, but he'll take a seat Wednesday while the Twins send a right-hander (Joe Ryan) to the hill. Melendez's move to the bench comes while he's gotten off to a horrid start to the season, slashing .115/.258/.154 with a 38.7 percent strikeout rate over 31 plate appearances. If Melendez is unable to turn things around soon, he could find himself out of the lineup versus righties on a more consistent basis.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Avoids arbitration with Kansas City
Rotowire
The Royals and Melendez avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.65 million contract Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Melendez regressed in 2024 with just a .674 OPS over 135 regular-season games. The Royals will start off 2025 playing him regularly at least versus right-handers, but with the playoffs in mind they might not have as much patience with Melendez if he can't take some strides.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Sitting out Game 2 versus lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is absent from the lineup Monday in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees.
It's southpaw Carlos Rodon on the hill for the Yankees, so the left-handed-hitting Melendez will begin the festivities on the bench. Tommy Pham will be in left field and batting seventh for the Royals, while Hunter Renfroe will handle right and hit eighth.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Out again versus lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is absent from the lineup for Friday's game in Atlanta.
The Royals are facing a left-hander -- Max Fried -- for the fifth game in a row, and the left-handed-hitting Melendez has been on the bench for four of them. Tommy Pham is in left field and batting leadoff.
