On Saturday, the New York Mets stopped by Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida, to take on the Miami Marlins. It’s a significant day for the 2024 Mets in Spring Training as Sean Manaea makes his first start of the preseason. Christian Scott and Mike Vasil were also slated to pitch. With the Mets having serious question marks in the rotation, they had an opportunity to show out. Especially the two young guns. How did each of them do?
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
Sean Manaea Struggles As Mets Fall To Miami 4-1
Let’s start with the veteran. Manaea’s debut was rocky, and he didn’t start well. He gave up three earned runs in the first inning on five hits and a wild pitch. It began with Manaea giving up a leadoff hit to Luis Arraez, who then advanced to second on said wild pitch. Jazz Chisholm Jr. doubled home Arraez, and then Avisaíl García would follow by doubling home Chisholm. Nick Gordon would reach on an infield single, and Jon Berti would also reach on an infield single that would score Garcia. Miami led 3-0 after one inning.
Manaea would pitch the next 1.2 innings before New York took him out for Hunter Parsons. Overall, Manaea went 2.2 innings and gave up three earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. He struck out Arraez and Chisholm in the 2nd inning and Gordon in the third. Compare that to his veteran free agent counterpart Luis Severino, who went two shutout innings yesterday, threw 98 MPH, and his sinker was working.
Brooks Raley came in for the fourth inning, struck out two batters, and retired the side after hitting Nick Fortes. Jorge López issued a 1-2-3 fifth inning before making way for Scott to see his first action of Spring Training. Scott would give up a run on one hit and a walk in the bottom of the sixth inning. Scott walked Berti to begin the inning. He was able to strike out Trey Mancini and get Fortes to fly out to center field. Unfortunately for Scott, he gave a double to Curt Casali that would score a run.
Vasil saw action in the bottom of the 7th inning and fared much better than Scott. He allowed a leadoff double but retired the next three for a scoreless frame, which included a strikeout on José Devers on an 89 MPH cutter.
Players Of The Game
We’ll split this one. The Mets lost 4-1, but the lone run was a good sign to see for the Mets. Third baseman Brett Baty registered his first home run of Spring Training—a solo shot off Roddery Muñoz to deep right. The second player of the game will go to Vasil, who looked very nice in his one inning of work.
On Deck:
The Mets will return to Port St. Lucie to take on the Houston Astros. Adrian Houser will start on Sunday as the competition in the rotation continues. Jake Diekman and Nate Lavender are also scheduled to pitch. The game will be televised locally on SNY at 1:10 p.m. ET.
