What’s Up with the Mets? 🌴

• The Mets thumped the Marlins 15-4 In Jupiter on Saturday (Box)

• Mark Vientos hit a pair of home runs and drove in five - his second home run of the day hit the top of the batters eye in dead center field

• Lorenzo Cedrola had a big day with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored as part of a 16-hit attack against Miami

• Justin Verlander had a successful spring debut, allowing a run over three innings with three strikeouts

• David Peterson took a comebacker off his foot while pitching in relief - he went back to Port St. Lucie for an x-ray but completed another two scoreless innings

• MLB is cracking down on pitch clock rule exploitations from pitchers (New York Post)

• Brandon Nimmo expects to make his Grapefruit League debut this week (Newsday)

Today’s Game 🦩

Game 1️⃣0️⃣ of 3️⃣0️⃣

Match-up: Mets vs. Cardinals

Where: Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium - Jupiter, FL

Starters: RHP Kodai Senga vs. LHP Jordan Montgomery

When: 1:05 PM EDT

Where to Watch: Bally Sports Midwest/MLB.tv

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It’s Senga time! Sort of… ✍🏻

A lot has been made about Kodai Senga’s arrival to the club this spring, specifically around his struggles to adjust to the big leagues and big league life around the Mets.

Between the slope of the mound, the differences in the ball, and the differences in routine, Senga’s transition from the NPB in Japan to MLB in the USA has been a challenge for the right-hander. His bullpens have reportedly been up and down, but his live batting practice session last week proved to be a little more promising.

Today, he gets his first taste from an opposing club, this one against the Cardinals in Jupiter.

For me, this is the most intriguing game to watch so far this spring. I’m excited to see Senga’s elite splitter and elite velocity, but also curious to see how he will handle these nuanced rules with the pitch clock as he dips his waters into what is proving to be a fast-paced game under this new umbrella.

Of course, I’m keenly interested in seeing how consistent his command is going to be, as that has been one of the problem points for him in the early part of spring training.

Most important, it will be interesting to watch how comfortable he looks out there and how he will respond mentally to the inevitable trial he will face against the likes of Paul Goldschmidt and perhaps Nolan Arenado, talents unlike he’s ever faced in large measure over the course of his career.

And this is just the beginning, of course.

Look - no matter what his final line is today, it’s spring training and the statistical results can’t be quantified into any sort of predictable success or failure. For Senga specifically, it’s going to be about the process, his tempo and general consistency with his pitches and how hitters respond to his signature fastball and splitter specifically.

Most important, it will be about how Senga feels afterwards, his confidence level and his ability to improve upon whatever will unquestionably fail him today.

Indeed, it’s a big day for Senga and the Mets, and it’s going to be both a fun and interesting day to watch on the calendar for the club.

Around the League 🚩

• Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has withdrawn from the World Baseball Classic while dealing with right knee discomfort (MLB.com)

• The Yankees are planning to have Osvaldo Cabrera play some center field this season (Aaron Boone on YES)

• The Tigers signed RHP Trevor Rosenthal to a minor league contract (official release)

• The Rockies signed LHP Brad Hand to a one-year, $2 million contract (Athletic)

• Greg Maddux has joined the Rangers as a special instructor this spring alongside his brother and Texas’ pitching coach Mike Maddux (New York Times)