The Mets look to win two games in a row as they take on the Atlanta Braves this afternoon!
You can call the Mets PSE&G, Con-Ed, etc. because yesterday’s win was all thanks to power. Francisco Lindor hit his first homer of the spring. Pete Alonso smacked his second. Ronny Mauricio hit an MLB leading third homer of the spring. This is further evidence that Lindor and Alonso are ready to go to the World Baseball Classic next week. For Mauricio, this hot streak, coupled with the World Baseball Classic, means more time against higher talent opponents.
Three Things To Watch For:
- Carlos Carrasco: As of today Carlos Carrasco projects to be the Mets fifth starter and what a blessing that is to have that much depth. Carrasco had a rocky 2021 coming back from injury and was able to make 12 starts pitching a total of 53 2/3 innings with a 6.04 ERA, 5.22 FIP, 1.435 WHIP and a 67 ERA+. Home runs crushed him in 2021, he gave them up at a rate of two per nine innings, almost double his career mark of 1.1. Last season he was a different story. Carrasco made 29 starts and pitched 152 innings with a 3.97 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 1.329 WHIP and 97 ERA+. He also cut his home run per nine inning total in half compared to 2021.
- Jeff McNeil: McNeil has been off to a slow start this spring with a hit and a walk in ten trips to the plate. This puts him an absurdly low, and small sample size .200 OBP. Very unlike Jeff McNeil. It’s still early and Jeff is going to get time playing higher-leverage spring baseball in the World Baseball Classic next week. That being said, a little positive momentum can keep the overreactions away.
- Drew Smith: Smith makes his Grapefruit League debut today also! Drew Smith pitched in 44 games, 46 innings, last season with a 3.33 ERA, 4.33 FIP, 1.152 WHIP and a 117 ERA+. Good numbers for any reliever, but also a step backwards from his phenomenal 31 game, 41 1/3 inning 2021 campaign where he finished with a 2.40 ERA and 168 ERA+. The Mets brought in reinforcements to flank Edwin Díaz with this off-season. Drew Smith finishing anywhere between his 2021 and 2022 performances will be a huge boon to the Mets.
Let’s Go Mets!
