Brandon Nimmo makes spring debut, Ronny Mauricio mashes again, and how the Mets can fix the Darin Ruf problem
Brandon Nimmo makes spring debut, Ronny Mauricio mashes again, and how the Mets can fix the Darin Ruf problem
Also, injury updates on Bryce Montes de Oca, Kodai Senga and Starling Marte
What’s Up with the Mets? 🌴
The Mets fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 10-4 on Sunday at Clover Park (Box)
Carlos Carrasco got the start and gave up two runs in four innings of work
Brandon Nimmo made his spring debut and walked twice in his two at-bats
Ronny Mauricio hit yet another blast, his fourth of spring
Joey Lucchesi struggled in his inning of work, allowing three runs, three hits and a walk
The Mets placed RHP Zach Greene - their 2022 Rule 5 selection - on waivers (MLB.com)
Injury Updates 🏥
OF Starling Marte exited Sunday’s game after getting hit in the head, but initial concussion tests came back negative
RHP Bryce Montes De Oca suffered a forearm strain during his outing and left the game early - he will undergo imaging this week
RHP Kodai Senga is unconcerned about his finger injury and expects to be ready for Opening Day
Mets in the World Baseball Classic 🌎
Pool play for pools B, C, and D continue in Tokyo, Phoenix, and Miami:
Pool B (Tokyo Dome, Tokyo, Japan)
Korea 🇰🇷 vs. China 🇨🇳 - 6 AM ET (FS2)
Pool C (Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ)
Colombia 🇨🇳 vs. Great Britain 🇬🇧 - 3:00 PM ET (FS2)
Canada 🇨🇦 vs. United States 🇺🇸 - 10 PM ET (FS1)
Pool D (loanDepot Park, Miami FL)
Dominican Republic 🇩🇴 vs. Nicaragua 🇳🇮 - 12:00 PM ET (FS2)
Israel 🇮🇱 vs. Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 - 7 PM ET (FS1)
Mets participating in the WBC, Sunday:
Pete Alonso - Team USA 🇺🇸 - 0-for-4, 2 K
Jonathan Arauz - Team Venezuela 🇻🇪 - DNP
Edwin Díaz - Team Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 - DNP
Eduardo Escobar - Team Venezuela 🇻🇪 - 0-for-5, K
Dominic Hamel - Team Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 - DNP
Francisco Lindor - Team Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 - 1-for-4, R
Jeff McNeil - Team USA 🇺🇸 - 1-for-4
Humberto Mejia - Team Panama 🇵🇦 - DNP
Omar Narváez - Team Venezuela 🇻🇪 - 0-for-1, K
Camrin Opp - Team Great Britain 🇬🇧
Adam Ottavino - Team USA 🇺🇸 - 1 IP, 1 BB, 1K
Claudio Scotti - Team Italy 🇮🇹 - DNP
Today’s Game 🦩
Game 1️⃣ 5️⃣ of 3️⃣0️⃣
Match-up: Mets vs. Marlins
Where: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, Jupiter, FL
Starters: RHP Tylor Megill vs. LHP Braxton Garrett
When: 1:10 PM EDT
Where to Watch: Not televised
How do you solve a problem like Darin Ruf… ✍🏻
After a dreadful beginning to his Mets career when he came over at the trade deadline, Darin Ruf was looking to turn the page and serve as a platoon at DH with Daniel Vogelbach in 2023.
Ever the optimist that this trade wasn’t a complete failure, GM Billy Eppler said the Mets were counting on Ruf to hit lefties this season like has has in the past. Unfortunately, things have somehow only gotten worse for Ruf from there.
His camp started late after it was revealed he is battling arthritis in his wrist which required a cortisone shot. Now that he has returned to action, in three games, he is 0-for-8 with five strikeouts.
Obviously, it is only spring and things can turn around but given his half season with the Mets last year, they might need to face reality and cut their losses at some point before opening day. If Brett Baty forces his way into the third base job (which still seems unlikely), that relegates Eduardo Escobar to a bench role or he could potentially serve as the DH along with Tommy Pham, who, similar to Ruf, is a bat-first player who should see limited time in the field. Not to mention Francisco Álvarez, but it would seem the team would prefer for him to stay at catcher and start the year in the minors.
There’s also Mark Vientos, who has struggled to find an identity defensively but has impressed overall from the right side of the plate over the first couple of weeks of camp. Vientos is 11-for-33 with five extra-base hits, including two long home runs while featuring a quick, short stroke along with fast hands on inside pitches. Eppler has said he wants the club’s top prospects to be well-rounded both offensively and defensively before graduating to the big leagues, but the truth is, if Ruf doesn’t begin to distinguish himself with any level of competence, Eppler’s hand might be forced in a sacrifice for offensive production against left-handed pitching over the player’s defense, as much as he and his staff may cringe at such a notion.
The Mets have options as Opening Day gets closer to find their platoon to compliment Daniel Vogelbach, so it might be time for move on from Ruf and give the roster spot to a more productive player.
Around the League 🚩
The Diamondbacks and OF Corbin Carroll reportedly agreed to an eight-year extension worth $111 million (ESPN)
The Red Sox expect Justin Turner to be ready for Opening Day after a scary incident where he was hit in the head with a pitch (ESPN)
Jacob deGrom will start in a minor league game today for the Rangers, his first of the spring (Athletic)
The Padres could go with a six-man rotation to start the season (ESPN)
Wyatt Langford, one of the top prospects in the upcoming draft, underwent surgery for an undisclosed injury (CBS Sports)