You know it’s Spring Training for the Mets if they’re playing the Cardinals, Astros, Nationals and Marlins ad nauseam. The Cardinals come to St. Lucie this afternoon and the Mets are still looking for their second (meaningless) win of Spring.
About Last Night
The Marlins beat the Mets last night in the Mets first night game of Spring Training, improving the Marlins record to 6-0. For the Mets bats it was a pretty forgettable game. The Mets sprayed 6 hits with no player gathering two. That being said Alonso, Nunez and Gimenez all hit doubles in yesterday’s game. Gimenez’s left his bat at over 100 mph, so that’s always nice to see.
Whenever Porcello pitches, he’s the story. The back end of the rotation is the only true position battle the Mets have this year and he followed up his debut last weekend (1 run on 2 hits in an inning) with two shutout innings, while striking out 2 and allowing 2 hits. Brad Brach and Robert Gsellman followed up with perfect innings of relief each. The former with a bullpen spot locked up and the latter trying to break back in. Oswalt allowed a run on 3 hits in in 2.0 innings, he’s also competing for a spot on the depth chart for long relief/emergency starter.
On the Mound Today
The Mets will open the game today with two regulars trying to get their work in – Marcus Stroman and Jeurys Familia. Stroman allowed 1 run on 2 hits in 1.2 innings with a walk and 2 strikeouts in his debut last weekend. Familia, coming off of an awful 2019, had a good start to spring allowing a hit and a run but not allowing anyone to score in his 1.0 inning of work.
Stroman and Familia will be followed by Matt Blackham, Paul Sewald, Pedro Payano, Erasmo Ramirez and Daniel Zamora. Sewald and Zamora both have roster spots currently but are both competing to be the last pitcher in the bullpen. Everyone else listed is in camp as a Non-Roster Invitee.
Mets Lineup
- Jeff McNeil – 3B
- Brandon Nimmo – CF
- Robinson Cano – DH
- Wilson Ramos – C
- Dominic Smith – 1B
- Amed Rosario – SS
- Ryan Cordell – RF
- Jake Hager – 2B
- Tim Tebow – LF
Brandon Nimmo is back in the lineup! He’s been out for a few days with some additional medical screening that his wife went to Twitter to explain that nothing was actually wrong (reassuring because the Mets have no idea how control a narrative). It’s interesting to note that this is the third time in the first week of games that McNeil is hitting before Nimmo in the lineup.
Today’s game is on SNY and MLB Network.
