A Day of Firsts in Mets' Win vs Nationals
Spring debuts, leadoff homers, the works...
Image via Anthony DiComo, MLB.com
Dominic Smith made his first Grapefruit League appearance on Thursday, starting as the Mets’ designated hitter (unfortunately, only in spring training this year, friends) in the team’s 8-4 win over the Washington Nationals at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie.
Following a breakout, albeit COVID-shortened 2020 season that saw Dom finish sixth in the majors with his 164 wRC+ (.316/.377/.616, 10 HR, 21 doubles in 199 plate appearances), all blue-and-orange parties involved are surely looking toward a productive follow-up campaign.
Smith went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts. Mets skipper Luis Rojas mentioned on Wednesday that Smith could get reps in the field as soon as this weekend.
Brandon Nimmo led off the bottom of the first with a mammoth blast down the line in right field. Per Statcast, Nimmo’s first home run of the spring left the bat at 109.4 MPH and traveled 386 feet.
If the 27-year-old centerfielder can chip in a generous handful of these this season in addition to his elite penchant for getting on-base, the generally-average defense Nimmo brings should suffice. The Mets appear to have confidence in the situation.
Following his third-inning single, Nimmo’s 5-for-7 with a walk this spring.
Left-hander David Peterson made his initial start of the spring, working around two two-out baserunners in the first and inducing three groundballs in a perfect second frame.
Peterson’s successful debut in 2020 due to organizational starting pitching depth issues (no more!) was a pleasant surprise. But with the aforementioned depth issues cleared up, it may give the 25-year-old the ability to continue developing at his pace.
Keep in mind, before last season (3.44 ERA over 10 appearances; nine starts, 49.2 IP), Peterson had never pitched above Double-A. Pressure-free development at Triple-A Syracuse this summer could work wonders for the young southpaw.
After his appearance, Peterson spoke to the media regarding his mindset this offseason heading into this spring.
“I think it’s just building off of what I learned last season,” he said. “I felt like last year was a good taste for me but I wanted to come into camp better and, like I said, help this team win.”
Jeurys Familia, Dellin Betances, Trevor May, and Robert Gsellman all made their respective spring debuts on Thursday to varying degrees of success.
Familia’s fastball velocities (four-seam and sinker) sat around the 96-97 MPH range and the splitter and slider both looked crisp.
Though, the control issues that have so often plagued the 31-year-old right-hander in recent years (6.33 walks per nine innings since 2019) did show up, walking two in his inning of work.
Betances’ velocity was down (topped out at 93.5 MPH; sat around 92) in his initial outing of the spring. As the 32-year-old indicated to the media last week, regaining the rise in his fastball that led to the success of his still-nasty breaking pitches has been a focal point of his offseason training.
His four earned runs allowed (two hits, two walks; inning-ending three-run homer to Ryan Zimmerman) over an inning pitched certainly wasn’t the best foot to get off on this spring, but leaves plenty of room for improvement.
May and Gsellman turned in scoreless frames in their debuts, with both working around a walk each and Gsellman navigating around two base hits, as well.
Left-hander Stephen Tarpley made his second spring appearance, turning in another clean inning (walk). The Marlins castoff could fit well as a taxi-squad-like depth piece or even find a temporary home in the Mets’ relief corps in the absence of Seth Lugo.
Sean Reid-Foley tossed a scoreless ninth — not without a couple of baserunners for good measure — to close out the Mets’ win.
Pete Alonso hit his first home run of Grapefruit League play. A blast of the grandest variety and an absolute bomb, at that.
Oppo-tacos! Family of four! (video clip via @SarahOnSports, MLB.com).
Alonso’s made no qualms about rediscovering the 2019 form that led him to break Major League Baseball’s rookie home run record (53) early in camp this spring.
Since the start of the 2019 season, Alonso’s 69 dingers are most in baseball and his 10 homers over the final month of the 2020 season were tied for second-most in the majors (Adam Duvall, 11; now with the Marlins). Don’t sleep on Pete…
Thursday was Luis Guillorme’s first game without a hit this spring. Guillorme started at shortstop after getting nods at third and second base over the team’s first four games.
Clearly, Luis Rojas & Co. are getting a very good look at their super-utility infielder, and he hasn’t disappointed (3-for-7). With his versatility as a calling card, as we’ve discussed here previously, Guillorme could be a key cog for this 2021 Mets squad.
Mets third base prospect Brett Baty notched a base hit for the second consecutive game, singling in the seventh (later scoring on first base prospect Jake Hager’s two-run blast, putting the Mets ahead, 7-4) after his two-run double in Wednesday’s loss to St. Louis.
Ronny Mauricio, James McCann, and Drew Ferguson added hits, as well.
The Mets are off on Friday but return to Grapefruit League action on Saturday versus the Astros. Jacob deGrom is scheduled to make his first appearance of the spring.
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Nice recap to a Mets ST win with positive results. I had the Game on and taped to DVR but it was rough watch with ESPN doing mostly interviews instead of broadcasting the Game.