Another day, another New York Mets (4-5) spring training game. On Sunday, at Clover Park, the Mets took on the Houston Astros for the third time this spring. In a rain-shortened affair, the Mets dropped their fourth-straight spring training game in a row, 5-2. The game was called in the top of the seventh inning due to rain.
Of course, the main focus of spring training games is not the scoreboard, rather, how players who are fighting for roster spots and other important pieces fair. One of the newer faces, who expects to slot in at the bottom of the Mets’ rotation, Adrian Houser, struggled in his second outing of the spring.
In his first start, Houser tossed two scoreless innings allowing only one hit. However, on Sunday, Houser allowed four hits, three runs, and walked one across only 1 2/3 innings. He threw 43 pitches (29 strikes) and allowed four hard-hit balls.
Elsewhere on the mound, Joshua Cornielly allowed a two-run home run on the first pitch he threw, one of those runs was credited to Houser’s line. The other Mets’ pitcher who allowed the run is one who figures to be a key piece in the Mets’ bullpen; Jake Diekman. He allowed a solo home run, pitching one inning allowing two hits and the aforementioned run.
Both Michael Tonkin and Cole Sulser pitched clean innings. Tonkin did not allow a hard-hit ball while Sulser struck out a hitter.
In the batter’s box, Mets hitters posted a team xBA of .249. Most notably, Starling Marte had a 109.3 mph line drive that hit off the outfield wall so hard it only resulted in a single. Encouraging signs for Marte who continues to hit the ball hard in spring.
New York’s two runs came in the fifth inning courtesy of doubles by Zack Short (who had two hard-hit balls in the game) and Ben Gamel in back-to-back at-bats.
Elsewhere, Brett Baty‘s woes continue, as he hit a couple weak ground balls en route to a 0-for-3 day. He is now hitting .125 this spring. On the flip side, Tyrone Taylor continued to impress, as he had two hard-hit balls and tallied another hit to raise his spring average up to .385.
Statistic of the Game: .438 OPS
After today’s 0-for-3 outing, Brett Baty has his spring OPS down to .438. He did hit a home run in Saturday’s game, but outside of that, has struggled overall.
He has hit several ground balls, which was an area of weakness last year and an area he was said to work on in the offseason. On the spring season, he 2-for-16 with five strikeouts and no walks. Luckily, it is still extremely early.
Player of the Game: Zack Short
Short was tied with Taylor for the most hard-hit balls (two) in Sunday’s game. The utility, veteran infielder was responsible for one of the team’s two runs, a 99.9 mph double in the fifth inning.
Short, who brings some infield depth to the organization in the event of injuries, is hitting .200 in spring training.
On Deck
The Mets are finally off on Monday. However, will be back in action on Tuesday against the New York Yankees at Clover Park. After that, the Mets won’t have an off day until March 18.
