It's the amazing RICO Bronia podcast with your host, Evan Roberts.

Greetings. Good morning for me. Good afternoon or good evening. I don't know what time it is back in New York, but welcome to the All-Star Break is finally here edition of RICO Bronia, episode 512. My travels with my family has taken me to Rome, Italy.

So we will do this Rico Bronia live on YouTube at about 11 o'clock at night.

But for me, it is Monday morning.

Yeah, it's been an adventurous European trip.

The New York Mets do win two out of three against the Kansas City Royals.

Of course, the series ends and the first half ends on a very, let's just be honest, down note

because they were this close, and I'm holding my two fingers close together,

they were this close to going into the All-Star break in first place.

And how cool would that have been, especially after what happened in Baltimore and certainly the bad stretch that they had earlier this month?

And they just couldn't hit.

And really, when you look at these three games against Kansas City, and it's a series win, I am thrilled with it.

I am not throwing it back.

I don't think any of us should.

The offense was the biggest issue.

I mean, you saw the return of Kodi-Sanga, and that was great.

You saw the return of Shawmanai, even though it was out of the bullpen,

and that was mostly great.

Clay Holmes was at least effective on short rest.

Frankie Montas pitched well.

Like, the pitching ills felt like they were cured with these three games against Kansas City.

You weren't dealing with a bunch of quadruple-A pitchers trying to get out,

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