Marcus Stroman Keeps it Positive, Mets Tie Marlins
"All good work" for Stroman; Jonathan Villar goes deep
Marcus Stroman ran into some trouble in his second Grapefruit League appearance of the year, allowing two runs on three hits with a walk and a strikeout over three innings of work (52 pitches, 32 strikes).
Ahead of the game, Mets skipper Luis Rojas noted Stroman’s energy as one of the 29-year-old’s more impressive qualities, saying you can “feel his presence always […] all positive”.
Stroman’s trademarked positivity despite adversity was evident again on Sunday.
Jorge Alfaro singled with one out in the first and was driven home by Lewin Diaz’s well-struck base hit down the line later in the frame to score Miami’s first run of the game.
Stroman’s wild pitch in the next at-bat scored Lewis Brinson from third to give the Fish an early 2-0 lead.
Following a perfect second, Marlins’ second baseman Isan Diaz tripled to lead off the third but Stroman induced a 4-4-3 double play to leave him (and top Miami prospect JJ Bleday; walk) stranded. Groundball wizard, that Stro…
Despite less of the consistency we saw in his initial Grapefruit League outing this week, the right-hander doesn’t seem all too concerned with his progress this spring.
“I think it’s all relative,” Stroman said after exiting on Sunday. “It’s all good work. No matter what you go through during these games it’s just all about getting repetitions, facing the guys, turning lineups over. I like to do a little more during spring so that [during] the season I kind of just flow and go easily.”
“I think the most important thing during spring is truly just getting your reps in and feeling your body,” he said. “Really not going out there trying to strike the world out or trying to get results. It’s more about making your body and putting it in the best possible position so that when we start games [on] April 1, I’m ready to roll.”
Asked how he felt in comparison to previous training camps as a major leaguer, Stroman replied “way better”, adding, “I have never seen 93 or 94 this early in the spring, ever”.
As always, the positives are easy to pull from game action this time of year. To be honest, that’s all that matters. Onward and upward.
The Mets tied the Marlins, 4-4, at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie on Sunday (box score).
Jonathan Villar crushed a three-run homer in the fourth, tying the game at three following Kevin Pillar’s double and Jeff McNeil’s first hit-by-pitch of the spring.
The 29-year-old, starting at second base on Sunday, signed an MLB deal with the Mets this offseason to fill a depth role on the active roster.
These types of contributions on a consistent basis should afford Villar plenty of opportunities.
Left-hander Aaron Loup allowed a run to score in the fourth, set into motion by Lewin Diaz’s leadoff double, who came home on Monte Harrison’s liner that appeared to simply fall out of Kevin Pillar’s glove in right field.
Following his outing, Loup gave a glimpse into what he’s been working on this spring, noting his “big slider”, of the “sweeping” variety, and a changeup he plans on utilizing versus left-handed hitters.
Righty Jacob Barnes turned in a scoreless frame in the fifth, working around an Alfaro base hit.
Lefty Jerry Blevins nearly worked through a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the sixth, striking out Eddy Alvarez and inducing a would-be inning-ending double play via Sandy Leon’s grounder, but Jeff McNeil’s low throw from third fell and brought Jose Devers in to tie the game at four.
Side-armer Trevor Hildenberger, another of the Mets’ litany of depth additions to their bullpen this winter, struck out the side in the seventh. #HildeGang, stand up.
Left-hander Daniel Zamora worked a clean inning (one hit, one strikeout), and right-hander Stephen Nogosek struck out three to escape multitudes of trouble in the ninth (three walks, wild pitch).
Johneshwy Fargas, who scored the Mets’ fourth run on a wild pitch in the fifth, and Ronny Mauricio both singled in a scoreless seventh inning. Mauricio, 19, is now 4-for-9 this spring.
Bruce Maxwell singled into left field for his second hit of the spring to lead off the ninth, moved to third on Caleb Joseph’s two-out bloop base hit, but was left stranded on Khalil Lee’s game-ending groundout.
Pete Alonso (4-for-12 this spring) and Luis Guillorme (3-for-8) added base hits, as well.
The Mets face the Nationals in West Palm Beach on Monday. No TV or radio for Jordan Yamamoto’s second start of the spring, but keep it locked into The Apple for updates.
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