The New York Mets played the Boston Red Sox in a nail-biter on Thursday, ultimately coming up just short in a 3-2 loss. Despite the setback, there were plenty of takeaways—some promising, some a bit worrisome—as the Mets navigate their way through Grapefruit League play.
With the loss, the Mets dropped to 8-10 in spring action. The good news? Left-hander David Peterson continued his solid preseason, allowing just two runs (one earned) over 3.2 innings. But the bats couldn’t quite do enough, with Nick Roselli’s run-scoring single in the eighth proving too little, too late.
Baty Tests the Waters at Second Base
If the Mets had it their way, Brett Baty’s bat would be a lock for the Opening Day lineup. The young infielder has been tearing the cover off the ball this spring, boasting an impressive 1.110 OPS.
But with Jeff McNeil sidelined for about a month due to an oblique strain, the Mets are giving Baty some reps at second base—a position that, let’s just say, isn’t exactly his home turf.
Thursday was a mixed bag for Baty in the field. He made some sharp plays, but there were also moments that reminded everyone he’s still learning the position. Expect more of the same as the Mets try to balance their need for his bat with the growing pains of defensive adjustments.
Diaz’s Velocity Takes a Dip
Perhaps the most concerning development of the night was closer Edwin Diaz’s unexpected drop in velocity. The flame-throwing righty, typically lighting up the radar gun near triple digits, was sitting in the 95-96 mph range. Even more troubling, his last fastball of the night clocked in at just 92 mph.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza brushed off any worries, insisting there’s no cause for alarm. But let’s be real—any time a closer known for his overpowering fastball starts losing heat, it raises some eyebrows. Something to monitor as the regular season approaches.
Nimmo Back in Action
A bit of good news came in the form of Brandon Nimmo’s return to the lineup. The Mets outfielder had been sidelined since Feb. 28 with a sore right knee, but he was back in action Thursday, going 1-for-3 with a strikeout. More importantly, he didn’t report any lingering issues.
If he can stay on the field and string together a few more games in the coming days, there’s little doubt Nimmo will be manning left field when Opening Day rolls around. For a Mets team that’s dealt with its fair share of spring injuries, that’s one less thing to worry about.