Looking to fatten up against lowly opposition, the Mets instead finished with a disappointing 3-6 record. That included a sweep by the Colorado Rockies.

The Mets finished the homestand by dropping two out of three to the Washington Nationals. As a result, New York is now the worst team in baseball with an ugly 10-21 record. The Mets have also lost 17 of their last 20 games.

Are things actually going to get any better for this team?

We will have to see, but for now, let’s recap the Washington series in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 UP 

DOING HIS JOB

Freddy Peralta gave the Mets every chance to win in the series finale on Thursday afternoon. The righty completed a full six innings for just the second time in a Mets uniform. He allowed one earned run on four hits and three walks with six strikeouts. Sure, it wasn’t always pretty with Peralta botching a comebacker to allow a couple of unearned runs to score. Even so, Peralta gave the Mets the kind of outing they needed, and hopefully, he can continue to go deeper into games.

SPARK PLUG

MJ Melendez is proving to be quite the pickup. The 27-year-old has done nothing but hit since being called up, and he currently has a higher OPS than Juan Soto (1.061). Of course, that probably won’t be the case come the end of the season, but the point still stands. Melendez is producing for the Mets when most other hitters aren’t. Take this series, for instance. Melendez had at least a hit in all three games, including two hits and a three-run homer in the finale. Despite all the offensive struggles, Melendez is providing a rare spark.

BACK IN THE GROOVE

Juan Soto hasn’t missed a beat since returning from the IL. The superstar hitter has reached base 16 times in 34 plate appearances, including going 6-for-12 with a walk against his former team. Soto also recorded two doubles, two home runs, and three RBIs against Washington while scoring four runs. If the Mets stand any chance of turning things around, they will need Soto to be as locked in as he is right now.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

PILING UP

The Mets can’t catch a break right now. If losing almost every single day wasn’t enough, the injuries are really starting to pile up. Luis Robert Jr. is the latest name to hit the IL, joining Francisco Lindor, Jorge Polanco, and Kodai Senga. The loss of Robert Jr. is pretty galling given just how bad the offense has been. As anemic as the lineup was with Lindor, Polanco, and Robert Jr. all playing, it likely won’t get any better with those three all on the shelf.

EVERYTHING GOING WRONG

When you are as bad as the Mets are right now, nothing seems to go right. That was certainly the case throughout the Nationals series, and especially in the finale. New York actually had a lead heading into the eighth and looked set to secure a much-needed win. Instead, Luke Weaver entered the game in relief and proceeded to give up a two-run homer that sealed another soul-crushing loss. Talk about a heartbreaker.

OASIS OF MISERY

You are what your record says you are, and the Mets are officially the worst team in baseball. Sure, there’s still time to turn things around here. However, the most worrying aspect about this start is that the entire team seems incapable of making the necessary adjustments needed to stop the losing. In short, we’re seeing nothing that would prompt hope of an uptick in results. Instead, the players continue to fail to execute on a daily basis. Furthermore, this roster resembles Frankenstein: a horrible mishmash of body parts that just don’t fit together. And that’s the biggest worry here. This team is so poorly constructed that it is hard right now to envision things getting better. Let’s hope we’re proven wrong on that.

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After being swept by the Cubs in Chicago, the Mets have now lost 11 consecutive games and are 7-15 on the season. That’s tied for the worst record in all of baseball.

Furthermore, the Mets rank last in a number of statistical categories, including the most important one: runs. They also look incompetent in almost every single department.

With no signs of hope that a turnaround may be on the horizon, it remains to be seen just how much worse things could get. And, if they do, what changes, if any, may be in the offing.

For now, though, let’s recap everything from a third straight series sweep in this week’s 3 Up, 3 Down…

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

3 UP

SPARK PLUG

MJ Melendez hasn’t stopped hitting since getting called up from Triple-A. He’s the only member of the Mets who is hitting right now. He recorded a pair of hits in the series opener before hitting a home run in the finale on Sunday. Melendez has looked good at the plate so far, and he’s proving that he can be a contributing piece for this ballclub.

OPENING UP

The Mets went with an opener for Sunday’s game, with Tobias Myers providing some much-needed stability. The righty tossed two scoreless innings, striking out two while allowing just one hit and one walk. Given what happened earlier in the series on the pitching side, Myers not putting his team in an early hole should be considered a big positive.

RIGHTING THE SHIP

Moved out of the rotation on Sunday, having struggled to start the season, few could have blamed David Peterson for being ticked. Well, if he was, he didn’t show it. The lefty pitched out of the bullpen in relief, giving the Mets 3.2 scoreless innings of relief in the finale. It was a much-needed outing for Peterson, given his recent struggles. Hopefully, he can use it as a springboard to pitch in the rotation effectively.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

ALL-TIME LOW

Forget rock bottom, the Mets are digging beneath it right now. They’ve lost 11 in a row, which is tied for the seventh-longest losing streak in franchise history. Historically, not many teams have been this bad and still made the postseason. Forget all the historical context, though. The most damming aspect about this historical streak is just how fundamentally bad this team looks from top to bottom. Hitters aren’t performing to the back of their baseball cards. The starting pitching has been a mess outside of the top two arms. We’re seeing mental mistakes and routine errors every single day. We’re still in April, but it is hard to see how the Mets are going to turn this around.

EMBARRASSING 

There isn’t much left to say about how bad this offense is. And nothing seems to be changing. The approach at the plate is the same, despite the lack of success and results. The Mets aren’t generating enough baserunners, and they are a non-threat on the basepaths when they do. There is no power. There is no making things happen. And the entire lineup seems incapable of adjusting on the fly. Consequently, the offense was a no-show again in Chicago, scoring a total of seven runs. The lineup also went a combined 5-for-26 with RISP. Furthermore, the Mets have now scored two runs or less in nine of their last 11 games. As a result, they rank second-worst in runs scored (72) in baseball, while owning the second-worst OBP (.288), SLG (.336), and OPS (.624).

And, while the pending return of Juan Soto will help, relying on one player to solve everything will only mean that this team really is in a whole world of trouble.

SALT IN THE WOUNDS

When you are on the kind of losing streak the Mets are, everything that can possibly go wrong will go wrong. We saw that on Sunday. Within touching distance of snapping a 10-game losing streak, Devin Williams allowed a game-tying RBI double in the ninth. The fact that it came off the bat of former Met Michael Conforto made it even worse. Then, in extra innings, Craig Kimbrel allowed the ghost runner to score to cap off what was yet another miserable weekend. That came after Brooks Raley gave up his first home run since 2023 to change the entire complexion of Saturday’s game. When it rains, it pours for the Mets right now.

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While still early, the last couple of weeks have been ugly, and the struggles continued with the Mets being swept by the Dodgers in LA. Over the course of the three games, New York was outscored 14-3. In all, the offense has managed a measly three runs over the last 38 innings.

Furthermore, mental errors continue to plague this team. The Mets are playing fundamentally bad baseball every single night. Players are making inexcusable, costly mistakes on a daily basis. It is just hard to watch.

So, let’s try to find a few positives while recapping all the negatives in the latest edition of 3 Up, 3 Down…

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

3 UP

TIMELY BOOST

While not directly related to the Dodgers series, the Mets did get some positive news in LA. Juan Soto, out with a right calf strain, resumed running this week. Furthermore, he took part in some live at-bats at Citi Field on Wednesday. As a result, the superstar hitter could return in time for the Mets’ next homestand. Given how lifeless this offense has been, Soto’s return can’t come quick enough.

ADDING A SPARK

Due to injuries, MJ Melendez was recalled from Triple-A and made his Mets debut on Wednesday. It was a debut to remember. The outfielder hit two doubles and finished with an RBI. With the rest of the lineup going a combined 3-for-28 with 12 strikeouts, Melendez at least tried to provide a much-needed spark. While it didn’t amount to anything, Melendez did show that he could be a contributor for the Mets at the Major League level.

THE NOLAN SHOW 

Nolan McLean is legitimate. Like, he really is the real deal. The rookie entered this season with high expectations, and he’s quickly justifying all of the hype. McLean was lights out in his latest start, allowing just one run on two hits with eight strikeouts over seven stellar innings. He gave his team every single opportunity to win. It was just a shame his offense didn’t get the memo. Nevertheless, McLean is continuing to show why many feel he could be the future face of this franchise. He flashed filthy stuff against LA while impressing with both his arsenal and his command. When McLean is operating at the peak of his powers, as he was on Tuesday, he’s going to be hard to beat no matter the quality of the opposing lineup.

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

3 DOWN

NO PULSE

There are few words remaining to accurately describe just how bad the offense is at the moment. Even without Juan Soto, there are no excuses for this lineup being this bad. Yet, 19 games in, and we’re approaching panic time with just how lifeless the entire offense is. Across the three games in LA, the Mets scored just three runs while being held to only 12 hits. Furthermore, they have managed just three runs total over the last 38 innings. If that wasn’t bad enough, the at-bats look lifeless and there appear to be no tangible signs of a turnaround. There is a lot of swing-and-miss with this team, not to mention a real lack of an offensive identity. Unless things turn around soon offensively, then the Mets could be in a lot of trouble.

AN UGLY MESS

“We’re not playing good baseball right now.” And manager Carlos Mendoza wins the most captain obvious statement of the entire year. Yes, the Mets aren’t playing good baseball right now. They are playing incredibly ugly baseball. They are whiffing on the very basic fundamentals of the game. And they are making sloppy errors that you would struggle to find in Little League. It is just a hot mess. Francisco Lindor failed to charge down a groundball that led to LA hitting a grand slam late in the series finale.

Francisco Alvarez was thrown out at second after misreading a play in the same game. Devin Williams struggled out of the bullpen on Wednesday. David Peterson threw yet another clunker in his latest start. All in all, the Mets aren’t helping themselves right now due to an inability to get even the basic fundamentals of the game right.

PILING ON

Everything tends to go wrong during the course of a losing streak. As so proved during the three-game stretch in LA. First, the Mets lost Jared Young for anywhere between 6-8 weeks with a left meniscus tear. Now, while not a major piece, Young has provided solid depth this year with a .391 on-base percentage. Perhaps more consequential was the news that a stint on the IL still hasn’t been ruled out for Jorge Polanco. The veteran was out of the lineup again on Thursday as he continues to deal with Achilles bursitis. Not only has Polanco been unable to log many reps at first base, but he’s also not produced offensively. He’s hitting just .179/.246/.286/.532 with one home run. There might be some concern that this lingering injury could lead to diminished production for the entire year.

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Melendez, a former top prospect and second-round pick by the Royals back in 2017, led all of minor league baseball with 41 home runs in 2021. He made his big league debut in 2022 and showed real promise: 18 homers, 66 walks, and an OPS+ sitting at the league average. He repeated that performance for two more seasons in Kansas City,  tallying 33 more home runs. 

Then came 2025. In 23 games, he posted a .083 batting average and a .321 OPS. A demotion to Triple-A that turned into a rest-of-the-year residency. Just like that, the former elite prospect was looking for a new home at 27 years old.

Enter the Mets, who signed him to a one-year, $1.5 million deal in February. The expectation was that Melendez would start the year in Syracuse and be available when the big league club needed him.

He was needed on Wednesday evening. With Juan Soto still out and Jared Young heading to the IL with a meniscus tear that will sideline him six to eight weeks, the Mets called Melendez up from Syracuse ahead of game three in Los Angeles. They fell flat on their faces once again, losing 8-2 as the Dodgers secured their sweep.

But Melendez, in his first big league game of 2026, against the Dodgers, against Shohei Ohtani, with the Mets mired in a seven-game losing streak and an offense that’s been borderline unwatchable, collected two hits – both doubles – and drove in a run.

His versatility alone makes him valuable. He can play both outfield corners and first base, and he’s an emergency catcher.

Is this the start of a redemption arc? It’s way too early to say. But the talent was always there, and sometimes a change of scenery, a new coaching staff, and a fresh start are all it takes. The Mets took a $1.5 million bet that they could unlock what Kansas City couldn’t. A multi-hit effort is a strong first impression. Let’s see where it goes.

The post MJ Melendez Shines as Lone Offensive Bright Spot appeared first on Metsmerized Online.

Pitching against the Mets for the first time, Shohei Ohtani struck out 10 over six innings, and the Dodgers beat the Mets 8-2 to complete a three-game sweep in Los Angeles. The last-place Mets (7-12) have lost eight in a row. New York had just 12 hits in the series.

Before the Dodgers (14-4) broke the game open when Dalton Rushing hit a grand slam off Devin Williams in the eighth to make it 7-1, the Mets had chances, but failed to get the big hit with runners in scoring position and committed a costly base-running error.

With Francisco Alvarez on first in the fifth, Carson Benge hit a line drive to left that Teoscar Hernández handled on a short hop. It would have been a single, but Alvarez returned to first because he thought Hernández caught the ball on a fly. Hernández threw to second for the easy force out.

Marcus Semien followed with a walk, and MJ Melendez‘s ground-rule double cut the Dodgers’ lead to 2-1. With second and third and one out, Ohtani struck out Tommy Pham, and Francisco Lindor lined out to left.

Clay Holmes, who left his last start with left hamstring tightness, gave up two runs on four hits over five innings. He struck out four, walked one, and hit a batter. Hyeseong Kim connected for a two-run homer in the second.

Tobias Myers gave up an opposite-field homer to Hernández in the sixth. Williams, who hadn’t pitched since April 7, retired only one of the five batters he faced. Kyle Tucker homered off Austin Warren in the eighth.

After Tuesday’s loss, Steve Cohen tweeted that he saw some “green shoots tonight.” (Green shoots was a new one to me, it means signs of an economic recovery during a downturn.) My favorite green shoot Wednesday: Luis Robert Jr. made a spectacular diving catch in center to rob Freddie Freeman of an extra-base hit.

Injury Notes

• The Mets are hoping for Juan Soto to return during the next homestand, which starts Tuesday against the Twins. He ran and took batting practice on Wednesday at Citi Field.
• Jorge Polanco, dealing with bursitis in his left Achilles, didn’t play and may need to go on the injured list. He will be re-evaluated on Friday.
• Jared Young was placed on the 10-day injured list with a torn meniscus in his left knee. He will need surgery and be out six to eight weeks.

Stat of the Game

The Mets ended Ohtani’s streak of not allowing an earned run in the regular season at 33 innings. Green shoot? Eh.

Player of the Game

Maybe Melendez was hitting loose, blissfully unaware of the team’s offensive struggles. No one tell him. He went 2-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI in his Mets debut. He had two doubles last season in 23 games with the Royals.

On Deck

The Mets are off Thursday. They start a weekend series with the Cubs with a day game at Wrigley Field on Friday at 2:20 p.m. ET. Kodai Senga (0-2, 7.07 ERA) will look for his first win since June 12, 2025. Righty Edward Cabrera (1-0, 1.62 ERA) goes for Chicago. The game will air on WPIX.

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Young has been one of the few bright spots for the scuffling Mets offense, going 7-for-20 with two doubles and two RBIs. He has struck out just three times and drawn two walks in 23 plate appearances. Young started four games at first base and two games in left field, but has been out of the lineup since Sunday’s series finale against the Athletics.

Melendez has gotten off to a modest start for Syracuse, batting .216/.286/.431 with two homers, three doubles and a triple over 56 plate appearances. Melendez has played exclusively in the corner outfield spots this season, but he appeared in two games at first base for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. Melendez soared in prospect rankings thanks to a monstrous 2021 season in which he hit 41 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A, and posted a respectable .700 OPS with 51 home runs in 1,587 plate appearances for the Royals from 2022 to 2024. He’s looking to rebound after a rocky 2025 season, which he mostly spent in Triple-A.

As for García, he was battered for five earned runs and 11 hits over 6 1/3 innings during his brief tenure in Flushing. The 39-year-old was designated for assignment on Monday.

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For pitching depth, it’s pretty clear. There are a handful of starters on call in Syracuse, and the same goes for the relievers. For the hitting depth, it’s a little less clear.

Ronny Mauricio was the first to get the call, replacing Soto, even though he’s an infielder. With five players capable of playing at least a corner outfield spot (Luis Robert Jr., Carson Benge, Brett Baty, Jared Young and Tyrone Taylor), an outfielder was not required to be Soto’s replacement.

If the Mets do not sustain another injury by the time Soto returns, Mauricio will be demoted and, in turn, become the next in line to be promoted again the next time he’s needed. If Soto is still on the injured list and the Mets need to call up a second player, the question gets a bit more complicated.

Ronny Mauricio
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

If a catcher is placed on the injured list…

Hayden Senger will be promoted. If Senger is unavailable at that time, it’ll likely be Ben Rortvedt. Simple.

If a middle infielder is placed on the injured list…

The list of replacements isn’t very exciting.

But first, even if Mauricio is already on the roster, that doesn’t guarantee him every day playing time. If Francisco Lindor is the one injured, Mauricio will likely play a good amount, but the Mets can put Bo Bichette at shortstop and Baty at third base. If he’s replacing Marcus Semien, Baty likely gets a good chunk of the playing time at second base while Mauricio enters a weird platoon with Taylor and Young. If one of those two occupies the third outfield spot, Baty plays second. If Baty heads to the outfield, Mauricio plays second.

While the Mets could theoretically call up an outfielder and still have enough infielders to survive, they’ll likely want someone capable of backing up a middle infield spot. There are no infielders besides Mauricio currently on the 40-man roster, so MLB veterans Christian Arroyo and Vidal Bruján would be in line to be added to the 40-man and promoted. Out of camp, it sounded like Bruján is in the lead.

Cristian Pache. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

If a corner infielder is placed on the injured list… 

It could be anyone. There is a lot of position flexibility on the Mets roster.

It doesn’t even have to be an infielder called up to replace them. If it’s Jorge Polanco, the Mets still have three players on the roster capable of playing first: Baty, Young and Mark Vientos. If it’s Bichette, Baty likely becomes the everyday third baseman and Mauricio is his backup.

Morabito and Melendez are options, as are Bruján, Arroyo, and Christian Pache. There’s also Tommy Pham, who the Mets recently brought back, though he hasn’t appeared in a minor league game yet this season. He also has an opt out on April 25.

Nick Morabito. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

If another outfielder is placed on the injured list…

An outfielder will be called up to replace him.

Nick Morabito and MJ Melendez are both already on the 40-man roster. Morabito is the more exciting option of the two, because he would be promoted to make his MLB debut. He’s a speedy, contact-oriented outfielder who can play all three spots on the grass—and play them well. Melendez would likely be the pick if the Mets deem Morabito not ready. He is only a corner outfielder, but Benge’s versatility doesn’t rule him out as an option even if Luis Robert Jr. is the one to hit the shelf.

If they go with someone not on the 40-man roster, the list grows. Ryan Clifford, as Steve Gelbs noted on SNY over the weekend, is the most interesting of those options.

A first baseman and corner outfielder, Clifford has prodigious power and a high strikeout rate, though it has steadily improved throughout his minor league career. While he’ll always strike out more than the average hitter, it’s probably good enough to stay afloat in the majors at this point. It would be an aggressive move, but it can’t be ruled out. There are a couple of holdups. If the Mets promote Clifford, they will likely want him to play every day versus right-hand pitching. With the current group of Mets position players, that might not be possible. The other is Clifford and Young on the same roster would be a bit redundant, as they’re both 1B/OF who would only play vs right-handed pitching.

Pache, who had a very impressive spring training, is another option.

A.J. Ewing, Jacob Reimer or Chris Suero could theoretically be options to be called up straight from Double-A, but that’s highly unlikely. If the Mets want a player like Ewing, they’ll likely go for Morabito first, just as they’ll likely go for Clifford before Reimer. And, the Mets will want all three playing as much as possible, not joining the Mets just to ride the pine.

Odds are, a good handful of these players will take at-bats for the Mets in 2026. Injuries hit every team, and when the Mets do need to call on Syracuse for help, this is who is in line for the opportunity.

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Triple-A Syracuse is now over a full week’s worth of games into their season, sitting exactly at .500, with Joander Suarez looking to finally push himself over the top and onto the Mets’ major league roster. Brendan Girton looked to make a strong season debut in Binghamton (Double-A) after a solid 2025, while the Cyclones were just hoping their offense would score a few more runs than they did on Friday. For St. Lucie (Single-A), Cam Tilly made his season debut after being drafted in 2025.

Joander Suarez, Photos by Bronson Harris of Binghamton Rumble Ponies

Triple-A

Syracuse (4-4) 9, Toledo (3-5) 7

Box Score

• RHP Joander Suarez: 2.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K (9.00 ERA)
• RHP Joey Gerber: 1.1 IP, H, R, ER (8.10 ERA)
• RHP Mike Baumann: IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB (18.00 ERA)
• RHP Austin Warren: 2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (0.00 ERA)
• LHP Anderson Severino: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, K (0.00 ERA)

If you don’t like seeing pitchers give up runs, look away. Suarez struggled mightily in his start, allowing more base runners than he recorded outs. He gave way to Gerber and Baumann, who both struggled in their own rights. Baumann was the worst of the two, allowing two of his three base runners to score.

he staff was settled down by Warren, who is likely the first man up for the Mets’ bullpen if someone were to go down. He was followed by Severino, who turned in two scoreless innings of his own. The two combined for four scoreless innings with no base runners and five strikeouts.

• C Hayden Senger: 2-3, HR (3), BB, 2 RBI
• DH Nick Morabito: 1-5, HR (1), RBI
• SS Jackson Cluff: 1-3, HR (1), RBI
• 1B Jose Rojas: 2-4, 2B, RBI
• 2B Vidal Brujan: 2-4, RBI
• LF Jihwan Bae: 2-4

If you like seeing pitchers give up runs, this is the part of the box score for you. Syracuse smacked three homers on Saturday, with Senger hitting his third in just five games on the season. Morabito and Cuff smacked their first of the season each, while Morabito’s incredibly strong play continues into the second week of the season. He was a designated hitter for the second straight game and the third time on the young season.

With Juan Soto being removed from the Mets’ game on Friday with a calf issue, MJ Melendez‘s .717 OPS so far is more important to note than before.

Brendan Girton. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Double-A

New Hampshire (1-1) 2, Binghamton (1-1) 1

Box Score

• RHP Brendan Girton: 3.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 3 K (2.70 ERA)
• RHP Carlos Guzman: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (0.00 ERA)
• RHP Bryce Conley: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K (3.00 ERA)

Brendan Girton was strong in his season debut, albeit with mediocre command. He was able to navigate his command issues well, only allowing one of his four base runners to score. He also received some help from his defense, as A.J. Ewing gunned down a runner at second base in the fourth to help limit a New Hampshire offensive threat

• LF Matt Rudick: 2-3, 2 2B (2.000 OPS)
• CF A.J. Ewing: 1-3, 2B, RBI (1.101 OPS)
• RF Eli Serrano III: 1-3, 3B (1.600 OPS)

Matt Rudick, the elder statesman of the Binghamton offense, smacked a pair of doubles in his first game of the season at 28 years old. A.J. Ewing and Eli Serrano followed up their solid play on Friday with more extra-base hits, but that was all there was to the Binghamton offense on Saturday.

Overall, the others in the lineup went 0-for-22 on the day. Top prospect Jacob Reimer is just 1-for-10 to start the 2026 season.

Mitch Voit. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

High-A

Hudson Valley (2-0) 8, Brooklyn (0-2) 1

Box Score

• RHP Wyatt Hudepohl: 3.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, K (16.20 ERA)
• RHP Garrett Stratton: 1 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Bryce Jenkins: 1.2 IP, H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Brett Banks: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, BB, 3 K

Wyatt Hudepohl struggled mightily in his season debut, but the bullpen behind him was solid. After the starter got shelled for six in his season debut, five Cyclones allowed just two runs over 5 2/3 innings, striking out nine and walking just two in relief. Banks and Jenkins each provided over an inning of scoreless work.

• SS Mitch Voit: 1-5, 2B (.333 OPS)
• 3B Antonio Jimenez: 1-3, BB (1.056 OPS)
• 2B Colin Houck: 1-3, BB (.393 OPS)

Once again, the Cyclones’ bats did not do much against Hudson Valley. They managed just three hits, but this time it was the duo of first-rounders in Voit and Houck, while last year’s second-rounder Jimenez is the only bat to record a hit in both games to start the year. His 2026 campaign is off to a nice start, but he’s been a lone bright spot.

Cam Tilly. (photo via Auburn)

Single-A

St. Lucie (2-1)  1, Palm Beach (1-2) 0

Box Score

• RHP Cam Tilly: 5.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 SO
• LHP Conner Ware: 3.0 IP,1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 SO

Right-handed starter Cam Tilly threw five hitless innings for St. Lucie (Single-A) on Saturday. Tilly, a seventh-round pick in 2025, generated 11 whiffs to go along with only two hard-hit balls against. It was a sensational debut for the 21-year-old in his first professional outing.

St. Lucie only needed three pitchers to shutout Palm Beach. The other multi-inning eater was left-handed pitcher Conner Ware. Ware was a 15th-round pick out of Louisiana State University (LSU) in 2025. In his first professional outing, he struck out four over three one-hit innings.

• SS Elian Peña: 1-4 (.929 OPS)
• DH Julio Zayas: 1-4 (.923 OPS)
• LF Randy Guzman: 1-4, RBI (.398 OPS)

St. Lucie’s bats were largely silenced in their 1-0 win on Saturday. The lone run was scored in the fourth inning as Randy Guzman posted a two-out RBI.

18-year-old Elian Peña has began his first full professional season with a hit in each of his first three games. He is 4-for-12 to begin the season.

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New York Mets camp is starting to get a bit lighter, but not because of cuts.

The World Baseball Classic starts this week and participating teams are starting their workouts with exhibition games happening Tuesday and Wednesday. The Mets have about 16 players departing camp including Sunday’s starter, Clay Holmes.

With that many players departing the team for at least the next week or so, the Mets will have a lot more spots for players fighting for roster spots to get more significant playing time.

Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

1. Marcus Semien – 2B
2. Carson Benge – RF
3. Luis Torrens – C
4. Mike Tauchman – DH
5. Tyrone Taylor – LF
6. Ronny Mauricio – 3B
7. Christian Arroyo – 1B
8. Vidal Bruján – SS
9. Cristian Pache – CF

Starting Pitcher: Clay Holmes

Astros Lineup

1. Jose Altuve – 2B
2. Isaac Parades – DH
3. Zach Cole – LF
4. Yainer Diaz – C
5. Joey Loperfido – RF
6. Jack Winkler – 1B
7. Joseph Sullivan – CF
8. Riley Unroe – 3B
9. Nick Allen – SS

Starting Pitcher: Jason Alexander

Game Notes

MJ Melendez is not in the lineup today as he has already reported to his WBC assignment with Puerto Rico.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Clay Holmes. After Sunday Holmes will head off to join Team USA with Nolan McLean. Ace pitchers Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal have made public commitments about limiting the amount they are willing to pitch in the WBC. If team USA goes far, this increases the chances for Holmes to get more reps. Potentially, this is a good thing for Holmes. The Mets have to face the Nationals and Marlins a lot in spring training. It’s not a bad thing to get Holmes more reps against major-league quality hitting that are on different teams. Holmes went deep in his first start of spring, pitching 3 2/3 innings allowing two runs off of one hit and two walks while striking out three.
2. Right Field Competition Check In. Carson Benge, Mike Tauchman, Cristian Pache, and Tyrone Taylor are all getting the start today. Benge has gotten off to a very hot start this spring going 4-for-10 with a stolen base and two runs scored. He has only struck out twice. Cristian Pache has been major surprise going 7-for-10 with a double and a home run (.700/.700/1.100). Everyone involved is doing everything they have to do to prove they should be starting right fielder.
3. Jack Wenninger. Wenninger is scheduled to get his second spring training outing Sunday afternoon. He did well in his first game, scattering two hits and two walks over two innings while striking out three. Wenninger is part of the next group of Mets starting pitching prospects behind Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong.

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The Mets hit the ground running in the first inning of Friday’s matchup. Carson Benge was hit by the first pitch of the game by Quinn Mathews. Juan Soto promptly hit a soft double to left field to give the Mets runners on second and third with nobody out. Benge scored in the subsequent at-bat on a wild pitch to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. After a Christian Arroyo walk, the next two Mets were retired and Soto was picked off of second base. Peralta took the mound in the bottom half of the inning and set the Cardinals down 1-2-3 with a strikeout on 10 pitches.

Peralta had a stellar outing in his first spring start as a Met. In three perfect innings, he struck out three while generating six swing and misses. Peralta’s velocity was down slightly from his 2025 averages across the board by about one mph, but that should rectify itself as the Mets head towards Opening Day.

Freddy Peralta, Photo Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Melendez came up in the top of the fourth inning and hit a 93.8 MPH solo home run that cleared the left field wall at 359 feet to extend the Mets’ lead to 2-0. Cardinals pitcher Matt Pushard recovered nicely and set the next two Mets down in order. In the bottom half of the inning, Devin Williams replaced Peralta, and although he allowed a long solo home run to JJ Wetherholt on his first pitch, he limited any further damage to keep the score 2-1 Mets.

The fifth inning began with speedster Nick Moribito drawing a walk, followed by a steal on the next pitch. Benge added to his strong spring showing up to this point with a single to make it first and third with nobody, before promptly stealing second. After Soto struck out, Arroyo hit a sac fly to right field that drove in Moribito, advancing Benge to third. After a Jose Rojas walk, Hayden Senger drove in Benge on a base hit to left field. Melendez followed with his second long-ball of the day. This time, it was a 408-foot and 100.9-mph blast that extended the Mets’ lead to 7-1. The inning concluded with a Grae Kessinger strikeout after eight Mets came to bat. Justin Hagenman replaced Williams in the bottom of the fifth, an inning where he allowed a pair of doubles, resulting in a run that cut the Mets’ lead to 7-2.

A.J. Ewing came to the plate in the top of the seventh inning and ripped a 100.5 mph single to the right side on the first pitch he saw. After a Jacob Reimer strikeout, Ewing swiped second base, before advancing to third on a throwing error. In the first pitch of his at-bat, Kevin Parada singled, driving in Ewing to extend the Mets’ lead to 8-2. Despite allowing another run in the bottom of the seventh that cut the lead to 8-3, Hagenman worked three solid innings, striking out four, and generating nine swing and misses.

After a one-out RBI double by Austin Barnes, Ewing hit a 105.9 mph home run, his first of the spring. The ball traveled 400 feet and extended the Mets’ lead to 11-3. Despite loading the bases with two outs, Kessinger grounded out to end the inning.

Huascar Brazobán entered in the bottom of the eighth inning, setting the Cardinals down in a scoreless inning that included two strikeouts. In the top of the ninth, Cristian Pache recorded his third hit of the day and Barnes grounded out to drive in his second run of the afternoon. Ewing walked, Reimer drove in a run on a single and Parada walked to drive in another run. Brett Banks came in to close it out in the bottom of the inning to secure a 14-3 Mets win.

Player of the Game

Melendez slightly edged out Peralta, Ewing and Pache for today’s Player of the Game. His two home run performance, capped off with his three-run homer in the top of the fifth, propelled the Mets’ offense. Melendez’ strong showing in his first week of Grapefruit League games has him trending in the right direction for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

On Deck

Tobias Myers will take the mound for his second spring training outing against Jake Irvin and the Washington Nationals on Saturday, February 28 at 1:10 pm EST. The game will stream live from Port St. Lucie on SNY.

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