Takeaways from the New York Mets’ spring training debut

The New York Mets lost the two split-squad games they played on Saturday: the Cardinals and the Marlins won 0-2 and 5-3, respectively.

In the first game, against the birds, the Mets’ offense was held to seven total hits and no runs. Starter Marcus Stroman didn’t have his best stuff, giving up one run (earned) on three hits and a walk. He pitched 1.1 innings and fanned two.

The Mets’ bats were dominated by Jack Flaherty (two scoreless frames with three strikeouts) Dakota Hudson (two scoreless innings) and several other relievers.

A Mets’ newcomer’s remarks

In the other game, against the Marlins, catcher Wilson Ramos had two RBI and Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil and Michael Conforto scored in the losing effort.

Rick Porcello started and conceded a run in his inning of work. He allowed a couple of base hits and fanned a batter. Chasen Shreve let two runners touch home in a frame.

Porcello was happy after the game. “I want to pitch in games and get as much work in as I can against live hitters in that type of setting,” Porcello said. “[Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner] told me it was one inning. I asked him for another one, but he shut it down.”

“Today, this is as close as you’re going to get to that feeling when you get out there for the first time in the regular season,” Porcello said to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com at Clover Park, where the game was played. “Everyone’s excited for the first game of spring. I’m excited to get out there on the mound again after a long offseason. You work on things on the side, but you don’t have that same feeling going where your body tends to speed up, your mind tends to speed up.”

Spring training action continues today for the New York Mets.