On Saturday, the New York Mets headed back to Clover Park for a game with the Houston Astros. It began as a big day before the game when the Mets officially announced the signing of slugger J.D. Martinez. Martinez met with the media and began his Mets tenure by talking to Mark Vientos during batting practice. Just five days before Opening Day, José Quintana took the mound for his final start of Spring Training. Taking on the Astros starting lineup, Quintana struggled to throw strikes and had a tough day as the Mets lost to Houston 13-5.
Quintana & Ramos Struggle
Quintana’s day began with a nine-pitch battle against Houston’s leadoff man, José Altuve. Altuve won the battle with a walk. Yordan Álvarez popped a force out that landed right in front of shortstop Joey Wendle, who missed a chance at a double play. Following a single to Kyle Tucker, Quintana allowed a three-run home run to Alex Bregman, giving the Astros a 3-0 lead. After striking out José Abreu, Quintana was taken out for Wilkin Ramos, who finished the inning. Quintana threw a scoreless 2nd and 3rd innings but had to work out of a jam in the third.
Things got tough for Quintana again in the fourth inning. He walked the first two batters he faced, and after Jake Myers grounded into a force-out, he was taken out for Ramos again. Ramos walked Altuve and then hit Álvarez, which scored a run. Two batters later, Bregman notched his second home run of the day and gave Houston an 8-0 lead. Quintana finished his day going 3.0 innings, three hits, five earned runs, four walks, and six strikeouts. He wraps up his spring with a 6.19 ERA.
Ramírez Struggles
One of the pitchers still fighting for a roster spot in the bullpen was Yohan Ramírez. It wasn’t a pretty outing for him either. In the fifth inning, Ramírez hit the first batter he saw (Jake Myers) with no consequences. In the top of the sixth, however, Ramírez gave up a home run to Tucker to lead off the inning. He walked Abreu, and two batters later, he hit Yainer Diaz before giving up an RBI single to Jeremy Peña. The Astros led 10-1.
Trey McLoughlin took over for Ramírez, and after a scoreless seventh inning of work, he gave up three home runs in the eighth, giving the Astros a 13-5 lead.
Overall, Mets pitching gave up thirteen earned runs, eleven hits, eight walks, six home runs, one wild pitch, four hit-by pitches, and just six strikeouts.
Player Of The Game: Nick Lorusso
It was an ugly day for Mets pitching, and the offense had to play catch-up the entire afternoon. One Mets player who stood out today was Nick Lorusso. The 23-year-old ninth-round pick by the Mets last year registered two hits in his two at-bats, including a two-run double that cut the Astros lead to 10-5. Mark Vientos drove in the first run of the game for New York with an RBI single up the middle.
On Deck
It’s a split-squad Sunday for the Mets tomorrow. A group of Mets will play the Washington Nationals in Port St. Lucie at 1:10 p.m. ET. The game will be televised locally on WPIX as Luis Severino makes his final start of the Spring. Another pair of Mets will head to Jupiter, Florida to face the Miami Marlins at 1:10 p.m. ET. Tylor Megill will take the mound in this game for his last start before the regular season.
