New York Mets Blitz Nationals In Spring Training Opener, 6-2

In what feels like a decade since fans have seen actual Mets’ baseball, the preseason finally got underway. The New York Mets handled the Washington Nationals 6-2 in West Palm Beach, Florida. After a 99-day lockout filled with mudslinging and bargaining blows, Saturday brought a breath of fresh air: baseball.

As typical for a road team in spring training, the Mets traveled with only a few everyday players. A majority of those who played got a chance to showcase some highly anticipated future talent. Yet, it was the few familiar faces that led the charge for the Mets. 

In the first at-bat of the game, Luis Guillorme homered to the opposite field giving the Mets a quick 1-0 edge. Two batters later, Dominic Smith followed suit with an opposite field solo shot of his own. After a two-out single by Tomas Nido, new Met Nick Plummer hit a two-run homer to finish the inning with a bang. This was the third opposite-field home run to sail over the left-field wall in the first inning. 

The four-run first inning was enough for Mets’ left-handed starter, Josh Walker, to work through three scoreless, one-hit innings. In the top of the third inning, Smith followed up his earlier homer with an RBI triple. He plated J.D. Davis who was plunked the previous at-bat. With a 5-0 lead, the Mets’ defense showed up in the form of two sharp double plays, one featuring Matt Reynolds whose in his scent stint with the team. Each sound relays stymied potential rallies.

The Nationals plated their first run of the ball game in the fifth inning on a ground out by Richard Urena. Washington’s last run of the game came in the bottom of the ninth, a solo-shot to left off the bat of Lucius Fox. Before this last Nationals’ run, the Mets tacked on an insurance run in the sixth as Guillorme singled home Reynolds, his third hit of the game. Newly acquired National Nelson Cruz filled the DH-role and went 1-for-2 in his first game.

Among pitchers that the Mets featured in the game were left-handed veteran Alex Claudio. He pitched a scoreless inning. Stephen Nogosek pitched the eighth inning and also held the Nationals off the board. Trey Cobb was the only Met pitcher to have an earned run tallied to his name.

All-in-all, the Mets kicked off the delayed spring season with a well-balanced effort. Fans got to see new manager Buck Showalter navigate his first game in a Met uniform. As accustomed in Spring Training, he inserted future talent such as Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio, and Brett Baty for a few late innings. Second-year owner, Steve Cohen, was in attendance, as well.

Player of the Game: Luis Guillorme

Mets’ shortstop Luis Guillorme had himself a game, going 3-for-4 at the dish, plating two and scoring once. He also showed his defensive wizardry that Mets’ fan has grown accustomed to over the years. While spring training numbers mean very little for most, having Guillorme’s bat and glove at the club’s disposal could be a much needed supplement to a team with great expectations.