Credit: Mary Holt-USA TODAY Sports
Saturday, March 19, 2022 • 6:05 P.M.
The Ballpark of the Palm Beaches • West Palm Beach, FL
LHP Josh Walker (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Josiah Gray (0-0, 0.00)
WCBS 880 AM
The Mets play baseball today! We just won’t be able to see it!
The Mets head to the Nationals camp to play a rare night spring training game. While you won’t be able to see it, you’ll be able to hear it on WCBS 880 AM.
The Mets have had an awesome offseason on both sides of a difficult work stoppage in baseball. The Mets will be showing off a much different lineup this year, but many of those players aren’t making the trip tonight. As you would expect early in spring, tonight’s starting lineup features multiple players who are in keep on Non-Roster Invitations (Palka, Reynolds, Mangum and Walker).
Mets Lineup
- Luis Guillorme SS
- J.D. Davis 3B
- Dominic Smith 1B
- Daniel Palka DH
- Tomas Nido C
- Nick Plummer LF
- Matt Reynolds 2B
- Khalil Lee RF
- Jake Mangum CF
Josh Walker RHP
Nationals Lineup
- Dee Strange-Gordon LF
- Lane Thomas CF
- Nelson Cruz DH
- Josh Bell 1B
- Ehire Adrianza SS
- Riley Adams C
- Richard Urena 3B
- Luis Garcia 2B
- Andrew Stevenson RF
What To Watch For
Josh Walker was drafted by the Mets in the 37th round in 2017 — now he kicks off the Mets’ spring training schedule. The lefty is one of a few left-handed pitchers trying to break their way onto a Mets roster that is just missing left-handed pitching. Walker pitched a three different levels last year for the Mets (like fellow non-roster invitee Eric Orze).
Walker posted a 2.57 ERA over 21 innings in Brooklyn, 3.45 ERA over 44.1 innings in Binghamton and a 5.54 ERA over 50.1 innings in Syracuse. He was one year younger than the average player in AAA ball when he pitched in Syracuse last year. The Mets AAA rotation is stacked now thanks to moves at the major league level. This is step one this year to see where Walker ends up.
The Mets roster was a mess most of last year — which meant we got an extended look at Khalil Lee in the outfield. The incredibly athletic outfielder struggled at the plate, reaching base once over 18 plate appearances. It was a different story in the minor leagues though. Over 388 PA and 102 games he hit .274/.451/.500. That .951 OPS is fairly intriguing and way above his career minor league mark of .806.
Baseball! It’s back! Let’s go Mets!
