The Mets took the field for their final spring training game on Monday afternoon in a showdown against the Yankees. Ryne Stanek started a bullpen game for the Mets, while Marcus Stroman took the mound for the Yankees. It was a close game all the way through, ending in a 6-6 tie.

The Mets trailed the Yankees 6-3 late, but a three-run homer by Brandon Nimmo in the bottom of the ninth inning tied the game and ensured the Mets wouldn’t lose. Nimmo’s long ball capped off an impressive, albeit brief, spring following concerns that he might not be fully healthy for Opening Day. He ends spring with a .345 average and 1.045 OPS.

Nimmo ties the game in the ninth with a 3-run moonshot! We think he’s ready for the season to start… pic.twitter.com/gxZFjOHYaf

— Metsmerized Online (@Metsmerized) March 24, 2025

The Mets also received home runs earlier in the game from Brett Baty, whose torrent spring continued, and Pete Alonso, whose homer was his second this spring. Baty’s home run came against Stroman on a 0-2 pitch, while Alonso’s home run was also against Stroman, and went to the opposite field.

On the mound, many of the Mets’ bullpen arms got a final look before Opening Day, including A.J. Minter, whose status for the start of the year has been in question. Minter entered in the top of the second after a rocky but scoreless first inning from Ryne Stanek and Dakota Hawkins. The lefty quickly recorded a three-pitch strikeout on his first batter before allowing a home run to Pablo Reyes, who spent last year in the Mets organization.

Minter got the next two batters out via a strikeout and a popout, ending his outing. In five spring appearances, he allowed three earned runs and struck out six in 4 2/3 innings of work.

Max Kranick and Huascar Brazobán, battling for the final bullpen spot, put together identical innings in the fifth and sixth. Each pitcher set the Yankees down 1-2-3 with a strikeout. Kranick ends his spring with a 1.46 ERA, while Brazobán ends his with a 1.69 ERA. While it’s unlikely both pitchers will make the bullpen, they’re both more than deserving with their performances this spring.

Kranick and Brazobán allowed the Mets to hold onto a 3-2 lead into the seventh inning, but the lead quickly turned into a deficit with a rough inning from Douglas Orellana. Orellana allowed the first four batters to reach base and allowed three to score, giving the Yankees a 5-3 lead.

Orellana allowed another run in the eighth, giving up a home run to Spencer Jones to make it a 6-3 game. The Mets’ comeback attempt came down to the final inning, and Brandon Nimmo delivered his three-run blast to tie it up. Still with no outs in the inning, the Mets had a chance to win but were unable to do so, settling for the tie instead.

Player of the Game: Brandon Nimmo

Nimmo has been outstanding the rare times he’s been on the field this spring. The most important thing entering this season is that he feels healthy, and whether or not he does, he certainly looks healthy. He played the entirety of Monday’s game, going 2-for-5 with a single and his three-run home run. It will be interesting to see how the Mets handle him early this season, however, don’t be surprised if he’s in left field on Opening Day.

On Deck

When the Mets take the field Thursday, it’ll be the real thing. The Mets will take on the Astros on Opening Day in a matchup between Clay Holmes (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and Framber Valdez (0-0, 0.00 ERA). The game will air on SNY.

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BOX SCORE

The Syracuse Mets concluded their season in walk-off fashion, defeating the Charlotte Knights 5-4 in 10 innings. With their win, Syracuse finished the 2024 season with a 78-71 record, a disappointing mark given their first-half successes. However, it’s a vast improvement from their 61-85 record in 2023.

• 2B Brett Baty: 0-for-3, RBI (45), BB (.853 OPS)
• DH Luke Ritter: 0-for-4, R, RBI (93), BB, 2 K (.849 OPS)
• 1B JT Schwartz: 1-for-4, HR (5), R, 3 RBI (22) (.668 OPS)
• 3B Wyatt Young: 2-for-4, K, SB (1) (.672 OPS)

The Mets’ game-winning at-bat came in the 10th inning on a weak dribbler from Luke Ritter. Drew Gilbert scored on the play, securing the victory to end the season on a high. The Knights sent Syracuse to extras when they tied the game in the ninth after entering the inning down 5-3.

• RHP Mike Vasil: 4 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 6 H, 2 BB, 2 K (6.04 ERA)
• RHP Tyler Zuber: 1 IP, 0 ER, H, BB, K (6.69 ERA)
• LHP Matt Gage (H, 3): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, K (3.92 ERA)
• RHP Shintaro Fujinami (H, 7): 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K (6.68 ERA)
• RHP Max Kranick (H, 5): 1 IP, 0 ER, H, 0 BB, 0 K (3.57 ERA)
• RHP Luis Moreno (H, 1): 1/3 IP, 2 R (0 ER), H, BB, 0 K (13.50 ERA)
• RHP Wilkin Ramos (W, 4-2) (BS, 2): 1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, BB, 3 K (5.40 ERA)

The Mets used seven pitchers to get through 10 innings, with Mike Vasil going four innings as the starter. Considering how his season went, it was a relatively positive outing despite not being too notable otherwise. The Mets got four scoreless innings from four separate relievers following Vasil’s departure before Luis Moreno and Wilkin Ramos coughed up the lead in the ninth. Fortunately, Ramos pitched an easy 10th inning to set Syracuse up for victory.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Syracuse Wins Via Walk-Off in Season Finale appeared first on Metsmerized.

Binghamton’s win comes in their final game of the year, and it’ll leave a good taste in their mouths as they pitched a shutout in addition to their ninth-inning offensive heroics.

Triple-A

Syracuse Mets (74-69) 3, Worcester Red Sox (76-68) 4

BOX SCORE

• RF Carlos Cortes: 1-for-4, HR (15), R, 2 RBI (49), K (.806 OPS)
• DH Austin Allen: 1-for-4, HR (8), R, RBI (27), K (.726 OPS)
• LF José Azocar: 2-for-4, K (.677 OPS)
• C Joe Hudson: 1-for-2, 2 BB (.770 OPS)

The Syracuse Mets suffered a devastating loss on Friday, holding the Worcester Red Sox scoreless through eight innings but allowing them to score four in the bottom of the ninth to walk it off. The Mets scored three runs earlier in the game on home runs from Carlos Cortes and Austin Allen, and while that seemed to be enough offense to win the game, the ninth-inning implosion ensured that wouldn’t be the case.

• RHP Blade Tidwell: 5 IP, 0 ER, 3 H, 2 BB, 4 K (6.15 ERA)
• RHP Grant Hartwig (H, 5): 1 1/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, K (4.08 ERA)
• RHP Joey Lucchesi (H, 1): 1 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 2 BB, K (4.78 ERA)
• RHP Shintaro Fujinami (L, 1-2)(H, 5): 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, K (6.53 ERA)
• RHP Max Kranick (BS, 3): 0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, BB, 0 K (3.60 ERA)

Shintaro Fujinami and Max Kranick allowed the Red Sox to come back and win, combining for four hits and three walks allowed while recording just one out in the ninth inning. Fujinami had most of the damage done against him, earning the loss, though Kranick also struggled when he took over. Before the ninth, Blade Tidwell, Grant Hartwig, and Joey Lucchesi impressed, allowing just three hits in eight scoreless innings.

Double-A

Binghamton Rumble Ponies (69-67) 4, Portland Sea Dogs (78-60) 0

BOX SCORE

• LF Matt Rudick: 1-for-4, HR (8), R, 3 RBI (41), BB (.718 OPS)
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 1-for-4, 2B (21), BB, 2 K (.815 OPS)
• RF Alex Ramírez: 1-for-4, K, SB (40) (.590 OPS)
• DH Kevin Parada: 1-for-3, HR (13), R, RBI (43), K (.663 OPS)

In their final game of the season, the Rumble Ponies shut out the Portland Sea Dogs to win 4-0. The two teams entered the ninth inning in a scoreless tie, but a solo shot from Kevin Parada and a three-run homer from Matt Rudick put them up 4-0 and in prime position to pull off the victory.

Following the game, the Mets announced that Jett Williams would report to Triple-A Syracuse for the Mets’ final few games. Williams missed most of the year due to injury, which explains his .172 average and .528 OPS for the Rumble Ponies, but he’ll now get a chance to experience Triple-A pitching for the first time.

• RHP Luis Moreno: 3 IP, 0 ER, H, BB, K (4.27 ERA)
• RHP Jordany Ventura: 3 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, BB, 3 K (0.00 ERA)
• RHP TJ Shook (W, 3-4): 2 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 3 K (3.92 ERA)
• RHP Joshua Cornielly: 1 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, K (1.13 ERA)

The Binghamton pitching staff was excellent in this game, with Luis Moreno and Jordany Ventura combining to pitch the first six innings, allowing no runs on two hits and three walks between them. TJ Shook and Joshua Cornielly pitched the final three innings. Shook earned the victory with three strikeouts in two perfect innings, while Cornielly shut the door with a perfect inning of his own in the ninth.

The post Mets Minors Recap: Binghamton Wins Season Finale Nail-Biter appeared first on Metsmerized.

Photo by Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Manaea had an impressive final campaign of spring despite the loss. He cruised through the first 4 2/3 innings, but three straight hits, including a two-run double, put a hamper on his outing. Still, he allowed just two earned runs over five innings and struck out seven with no walks. Notably, he held the top of the Yankees lineup, consisting of Gleyber Torres, Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Anthony Rizzo, to 1-for-9 with four strikeouts.

While Manaea’s start was fantastic until the final sequence that produced two runs, Schmidt out-pitched him and exited the game after five scoreless innings. Schmidt allowed two walks and a hit (a Harrison Bader single), striking out six against a Mets lineup that likely won’t change much for Opening Day.

Sean Manaea, Wicked Breaking Balls. 🤢 pic.twitter.com/lmaoB7AeQR

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 25, 2024

Both starters exiting after five innings put the bullpens into motion, with the Yankees holding onto a 2-0 lead. Yankees closer Clay Holmes was the first to enter, and he immediately got into more trouble in one inning than Schmidt had faced in five. A Pete Alonso double, Jeff McNeil reaching on an error, and Starling Marte hit by a pitch in the helmet loaded the bases, but DJ Stewart was unable to take advantage and grounded out to end the inning.

Manaea was followed out of the bullpen by a contingent of prominent relievers, with Brooks Raley, Drew Smith and Adam Ottavino, each pitching an inning. Raley allowed a run to score on a fielder’s choice, extending the Yankees’ lead to 3-0. Smith and Ottavino then combined for two scoreless innings. Overall, these relievers had strong springs, albeit in tiny sample sizes. They combined for two earned runs allowed in 14 2/3 innings this spring.

Mets pitchers pitched well in this game, but it didn’t matter. Following Schmidt and Holmes, two more Yankee relievers combined for three scoreless innings to secure a shutout 3-0 victory. The Mets recorded just two hits all game in an inauspicious end to spring training, but the team hopes the offense will pick up on Thursday when it counts.

Player of the Game

Sean Manaea has looked really good this spring, and that continued today, especially against the Yankees’ better hitters. He continues to look like a solid signing for the Mets’ rotation as he ends his spring with a 3.24 ERA, 21 strikeouts, four walks, and no homers allowed in four starts and 16 2/3 innings. His regular season debut for the Mets will be on April 1 in the series opener against the Tigers.

On Deck

That’s it for spring training! Next up for the Mets is Opening Day this Thursday. They take on the Brewers at Citi Field in a matchup between José Quintana (0-0, 0.00 ERA) and Freddy Peralta (0-0, 0.00 ERA). First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. ET, and the game will air on SNY.

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Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets looked to put an exclamation mark on their series with the Brewers on Wednesday when they went for the three-game sweep in Milwaukee. Taijuan Walker was sharp through six innings, but Brewers’ offense exploded in the seventh inning to lead Milwaukee to a 6-0 win in the series finale.

Brandon Nimmo got the game started with an infield single before stealing his third base of the month and season. Despite having the runner in scoring position with nobody out, the Mets weren’t able to capitalize.

In the bottom of the first, Nimmo was pulled from the game after running in for a fly ball. Nimmo appeared to pull up while running in on a pop-up to start the inning. When the next batter hit a fly ball to shallow center field, Nimmo limped and had to be removed from the game. The Mets would later announce that Nimmo was removed with left quad tightness.

After both teams failed to score in the second inning, Mark Canha set a painful Mets record. Canha entered the game in place of the injured Nimmo and was hit by a pitch for the 23rd time in his first at-bat, breaking the Mets’ single-season record set by Nimmo in 2018. Unfortunately for the Mets, they failed to advance him any further thanks to line-outs from Francisco Lindor and Jeff McNeil.

In the bottom of the third, the injury bug reared its head again for the Mets. Christian Yelich hit a shallow fly ball to left field that Eduardo Escobar made an over-the-shoulder catch on for the out. In an attempt to avoid Escobar, McNeil slid. McNeil jammed his right knee into the ground, but he was able to stay in the game.

Both teams once again failed to score in the fourth inning, then in the top of the fifth, the Mets tied an MLB record. To nobody’s surprise, Canha was drilled for the second time despite not starting the game. The hit-by-pitch was the Mets’ 105th of the season, matching the record set by the 2021 Cincinnati Reds. Lindor followed with a two-out double, but McNeil was unable to drive in the two runners and struggled to run to first on a ground ball.

The Brewers got the scoring started in the bottom of the sixth inning. The red-hot Willy Adames led off the inning with his 31st home run of the season to put Milwaukee ahead 1-0. Walker walked Rowdy Tellez after the home run, but was able to work his way out of the inning with a double-play and a strikeout.

Walker was terrific through six innings, but in the seventh inning, the Brewers got to the right-hander. He walked Jace Peterson on five pitches to start the inning then allowed singles on back-to-back pitches to Victor Caratini and Tyrone Taylor to double the Brewers lead to 2-0. Walker was pulled with two runners on and nobody out. David Peterson came out of the bullpen and retired his first two batters on a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout before intentionally walking Adames to load the bases.

The Brewers sent Mike Brosseau to the plate to pinch-hit against Peterson, and Buck Showalter countered with Drew Smith, who hadn’t appeared in a major league game since July 24. Smith got ahead in the count 0-2, but he hung a slider that Brosseau turned on for a grand slam to blow the game open for the Brewers.

In the ninth, the Mets set the MLB record for batters hit by a pitch when Luis Guillorme was hit on the back foot by a breaking ball. Guillorme was the 106th Met to be hit by a pitch in 2022, adding to an already painful day for the Mets. One batter later, he was erased on a game-ending double play to close out the Brewers’ 6-0 win and put an end to a poor day for the Mets.

Player of the Game: Tylor Megill

Not much went right for the Mets on Wednesday, but if there was a positive to take away from the series finale in Milwaukee, it was Tylor Megill throwing a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the eighth. Megill returned from over three months on the injured list on Monday, but gave up two hits and two runs in his first inning back on the mound. The right shoulder injury has essentially made 2022 a lost season for Megill, but he can still play a large role in a Mets’ postseason run as a reliever.

On Deck

The Mets will head to the west coast for a series with the Oakland Athletics on Friday at 9:40 p.m. ET. Chris Bassitt (14-8, 3.32 ERA) will be on the mound for the Mets making his first start against the team he had been a part of since 2015 before coming to New York.

During his time in Oakland, Bassitt excelled when pitching at Oakland Coliseum. He pitched to a 2.44 ERA over 258 1/3 innings at home as a member of the A’s.

Canha will also be returning to the place he had called home before signing with the Mets. Canha was originally drafted by the Marlins in 2010, but was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 2014 Rule 5 Draft before being traded to Oakland the same day.

The game will be broadcast on SNY, and the radio call will be on WCBS 880.

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Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

The concept of interleague play has diluted over time. The Subway Series was no different. Initial and inevitable hype generated by a regular season Mets-Yankees match-up went down in recent years despite it having meaning to some fans. When both teams are playing at a high level it usually rises to the occasion too. The three games at Citi Field last season felt like the old days—infused with intensity and drama and proof that these games can be important to the players as much as the public.

There was certainly plenty of emotion left over from the previous night, the teams played on the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The Yankees’ 8-7 victory countered the Mets’ rout in the opener.

That set the stage for Francisco Lindor‘s signature Mets moment. For all the struggles that occurred during his initial season in Queens, the three-homer night under New York’s baseball spotlight may be looked back on as the turning point.

The last came in the eighth inning and was the exclamation point in a dramatic 7-6 win which rekindled both the tension and combativeness. Lindor sparked the fire during the weekend by claiming he and other Mets were made known of Yankees whistling from the dugout when Taijuan Walker and others were tipping pitches.

Lindor turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the second with a blast that landed in the bullpen. After his sixth-inning homer (this time from the right side) increased the Mets advantage, he made a whistling gesture towards his opponents as he rounded the bases.

Giancarlo Stanton answered with a game-tying moonshot in the seventh inning and jawed back as he made his way around second. Lindor responded (along with Javy Báez) in the immediate aftermath which led to a bench-clearing but nothing else.

He responded with action in the bottom of the eighth: a drive to deep right field that put his team in front for good.

After being traded to the Mets in January and shortly thereafter signing a 10-year, $341 million contract extension, Lindor had a lot to live up to from the jump. A deep slump in the early months of the 2021 season certainly didn’t elicit a great first impression. But for fans who yearn for bragging rights over their cross-town rivals, having a star player who not only stands up to the Yankees but can back it up went a long way toward Francisco Lindor earning the respect he’s long deserved.

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