Another day, another rival. Today, the Mets will face the Washington Nationals for the third time this spring. In battle of co-aces, Noah Syndergaard will match up against the $175 million dollar man, Stephen Strasburg.
Today’s game starts at 1:05 at the Ballpark of Palm Beaches. There is no TV or radio for the game.
Yesterday, the Mets played against their crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees. Zack Wheeler matched up against Yankee starter, Domingo German.
Zack Wheeler pitched well in his third start of the spring. He pitched three scoreless innings and didn’t allow any walks with four strikeouts on 49 pitches. With his stellar performance this year, he’s definitely in the running for the fifth starter spot.
The Mets scored two unearned runs in the bottom of the third on an Estevan Florial misplayed fly-ball. An inning later, Travis d’Arnaud would go deep and extend the Mets lead to 3-1.
Robert Gsellman followed him with 3.2 effective innings. Matt Purke finished off the seventh inning and despite allowing two hits, managed to keep the Yankees off the scoreboard.
After Purke exited, the game fell apart. Rafael Montero allowed five runs in 1/3 of an inning. Corey Taylor relieved Montero and proceeded to give up a grand slam to Yankee prospect Billy McKinney. Kevin McGowan pitched the ninth and allowed four earned runs. The Mets would get crushed by Yankees, 11-4.
Latest Mets News
Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports that Jacob deGrom is expected to make his Grapefruit debut on Sunday.
Former Mets teammates Mike Pelfrey and Chris Capuano both announced their retirements.
Former Met reliever Vic Black will continue his career as he signed with the New Jersey Jackals of the Cam-Am League.
In an awesome story, the Mets and The Make-A-Wish foundation teamed up to allow 17-year-old and cancer survivor Josh Cohen to throw a bullpen session for the Mets and Yankee scouts.
Joel Sherman released a column berating Yoenis Cespedes‘s behavior. MMO will issue a rebuttal later today.
Sherman also published a tear-jerking interview with David Wright.
MLB News
The Blue Jays signed relief pitcher Tyler Clippard to a minor-league contract.
Ichiro is officially home! The now 44-year-old signed a Major-League deal with the team he started his career with, the Mariners. Ichiro Suzuki expressed a desire to hit and pitch against his fellow countryman, Shohei Ohtani.
In a unusual move, Rays manager Kevin Cash announced he will use a four-man rotation for the 2018 season.
Rays suffered a blow yesterday as MiLB pitcher Jose De Leon will undergo Tommy John Surgery. De Leon joins top prospect Brent Honeywell as top pitching prospects who will lose the 2018 season due to the procedure.
In an interview by Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star, Scott Boras hints that free agent third baseman Mike Moustakas will not sign with a team before Opening Day.
The Cubs were removed a lawsuit from a fan who was blinded by a foul ball last August. The fan alleged that the Cubs “willfully and wantonly” wanted to cause injury to fans by not creating a safety net.
NL East News
The Good Phight looks how J.P. Crawford could contribute to the 2018 Phillies.
Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post writes about the new-found youth of 37-year-old reliever Ryan Madson.
Latest on MMO
Mathew Brownstein did an interview with Mets pitching prospect Drew Smith.
Josh Finkelstein writes about Seth Lugo making his case as the Mets fifth starter.
Josh also writes about how Zack Wheeler responded with his own sharp start on Wednesday.
Tim Ryder talks about the spring and potential of Gerson Bautista at Mets Minors.
This Day in Mets History
Former Mets manager Casey Stengel is elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966.
The Mets signed first baseman Brian Daubach on this day in 2005.
Pitcher Willard Hunter turns 84.
