The New York Mets rolled to an impressive 5-0 victory over the Houston Astros at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie on Thursday.
With Brett Baty continuing to shake off past struggles and prospect Ryan Clifford showing off his pop, the Mets looked sharp at the plate. Meanwhile, Clay Holmes dominated once again, and the bullpen followed suit, blanking the Astros in convincing fashion.
Clay Holmes Looks the Part
If Clay Holmes had any doubters when the Mets signed him for $38 million, he’s been silencing them one start at a time. After a three-inning scoreless debut last week against Houston, he doubled down with another three clean frames on Thursday.
Holmes allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out two, proving once again that shifting him to a starter role may be one of the Mets’ smartest moves this spring. He reportedly got some extra work in after leaving the game, making it clear he’s ramping up for a full workload by Opening Day. With the Mets dealing with their fair share of injury concerns, Holmes looking this sharp is a welcome sight.
Baty and Clifford Go Deep
Brett Baty has spent the past couple of seasons trying to prove he’s more than a Quad-A player—too good for the minors but not quite cutting it in the big leagues. If his recent performance is any indication, he’s finally turning a corner.
The young third baseman homered for the second straight game, delivering his lone hit in three at-bats in dramatic fashion. He’s now 6-for-11 in Grapefruit League play, slashing an eye-popping .545 with three RBIs. Given his .889 career OPS in the minors compared to a rough .607 mark in the majors, Baty looks determined to prove that his true offensive potential leans much closer to his minor-league numbers.
Joining him in the home run column was outfield prospect Ryan Clifford. The 20-year-old slugger, who mashed 19 homers with a 131 wRC+ last season between High-A and Double-A, flashed his power once again. His bat remains one to watch as the Mets evaluate their future outfield options.
The Bullpen Slams the Door
Following Holmes’ strong outing, the Mets’ bullpen put the finishing touches on the shutout. Griffin Canning, TJ Shook, Max Kranick, and Jordan Geber combined for six scoreless innings, keeping the Astros completely off the board.
Kranick, in particular, turned heads with a lively fastball that sat between 95-97 mph.
He’s not a name most people had penciled into the Mets’ Opening Day roster, but performances like this could change that. If he keeps this up, he might just sneak his way onto the team. With both the bats and arms clicking, the Mets are looking sharp in Grapefruit League action.