The Mets face the Washington Nationals this afternoon at Space Coast Stadium in Viera at 1:05 PM. Zack Wheeler will oppose Stephen Strasburg in what should be his final appearance of the Spring. The game is not on television or radio in New York, but will be on the Nats’ MASN network.
Wheeler has had an excellent spring after arriving to camp proclaiming he would give the Mets every reason to name him the opening day starter. However, that honor will go to Dillon Gee the team announced yesterday.
“I would have liked to be considered, of course,” Wheeler said. “I don’t want them to hand anything to me, but I wanted to work for it and show them I wanted it. I’ll keep trying to show them I want it.”
The young righty has a 1.69 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in four spring starts.
Here are today’s lineups:
Mets
- Eric Young Jr., 2b
- Juan Lagares, cf
- David Wright, 3b
- Curtis Granderson, rf
- Chris Young, lf
- Ike Davis, 1b
- Travis d’Arnaud, c
- Zack Wheeler, rhp
- Ruben Tejada, ss
Nationals
- Denard Span, cf
- Anthony Rendon, 2b
- Jayson Werth, rf
- Ryan Zimmerman, 3b
- Bryce Harper, lf
- Ian Desmond, ss
- Adam LaRoche, 1b
- Jose Lobaton, c
- Stephen Strasburg, rhp
Mets Notes
Ike Davis is back in the lineup after a couple of days of rest. He asked out of a game over the weekend after telling Terry Collins he felt tired.
With Daniel Murphy getting the game off, Eric Young starts at second base and is in the lineup together with Juan Lagares. The latter may lose significant playing time in center field if Young is named the everyday leadoff man by Collins.
Matt Harvey will do his rehab with the team in New York when they are home and then fly to Port St. Lucie when the Mets are on the road, GM Sandy Alderson said Tuesday. Once he begins pitching off a mound, he will stay in PSL full time. “I think he’s happy with that arrangement,” said Alderson.
Daisuke Matsuzaka is expected to get word today that he has made the Opening Day roster. Noon is the deadline for the Mets to inform him he has made the club. Otherwise, the Mets would have to release him, or give him $100,000 for the right to send him to the minors. M
Sandy Alderson acknowledged that Jenrry Mejia will not pitch in relief or work out of the bullpen this season.
Jonathon Niese threw off a mound Monday for the first time since receiving a cortisone shot in his left elbow one week earlier. The southpaw felt good afterward and expects to be activated from the disabled list for an April 6 start against the Cincinnati Reds.
Enjoy today’s game and Lets Go Mets!
