The trust issues Kodai Senga must overcome
Plus, Clay Holmes looked sharp upon his return as the Mets split the two games of a split-squad outing on Friday...
What’s Up with the Mets? 🌴
Game 1
In the first of a split-squad game, the Mets lost to the Marlins 1-0 at Clover Park (box)
RHP Kodai Senga was money on the mound, striking out five across three perfect innings while needing just 37 pitches
RHP Devin Williams struckout two and gave up a pair of singles before getting the forcing a groundout to finish the fourth inning without allowing a run
RHP Clay Holmes - back from WBC duty with Team USA - delivered five innings of one-run ball with no walks and six strikeouts
The Mets lineup recorded just five hits in the loss, with 1B Jorge Polanco and LF Mike Tauchman among those collecting a hit
Game 2
Following a delayed start due to rain, the Mets eventually beat the Nationals 8-3 in the other split-squad game in West Palm (box)
RHP Carl Edwards Jr. tossed four no-hit innings, allowing just one walk and striking out four
LHP Bryan Hudson’s concerning spring continued as he gave up the two runs that made it a 2-2 game, retiring only two batters in the process
RF Carson Benge finished 1-for-4 with a RBI, scoring LF A.J. Ewing who again showed his ability on the bases
1B Brett Baty finished 1-for-3 with a run scored, SS Ronny Mauricio went 1-for-3 with a RBI, PH Nick Roselli blew the game open with a bases-clearing double in the eighth inning
Pinch-hitters Ronald Hernandez and Nick Lorusso would add on with RBI singles
Injury Updates 🏥
SS Francisco Lindor (recovery from hand surgery) took part in a live BP session for the first time on Friday and remains on track for Opening Day
LHP A.J. Minter (torn left lat muscle) threw a live batting practice against Lindor - his third of the spring - and is hopeful of maybe pitching in a Grapefruit League game
Friday, March 13:
Jared Young (CAN): 0-for-1, 1 K
Juan Soto (DR): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 K
Schedule | Standings | Scores
What I’m Reading 📰
SNY announced the 2026 Mets regular season broadcast schedule (SNY)
Congratulations to Francisco Álvarez, who announced that he married his partner earlier this week (NY Post)
Grading the Yankees-to-Mets pipeline (NY Post)
Just Mets Podcast 🎙️
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Today’s Game 🏝️
Match-up: Mets (10-7) at Astros (7-10)
Where: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches - West Palm Beach, FL
Starters: TBD vs. RHP Ryan Weiss (0-0, 1.69 ERA)
When: 6:05 PM EDT
Where to Watch: MLBN
Some thoughts on Soto, Senga, Holmes, and Vientos ✍️
Due to the fact that the Mets had two games on Friday, not to mention the two WBC quarterfinals, I thought today would be a good time to break open the notebook again.
Here’s some thoughts on what caught my eye yesterday…
The Electric Slide
Juan Soto has been pretty clutch for the Dominican Republic throughout the World Baseball Classic.
However, he served up arguably his most electrifying moment on Friday night during DR’s 10-0 blowout over Korea.
After hitting a leadoff single in the third inning, Soto went on to score from first base on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s double, executing one of the most impressive swim moves you will ever see to avoid the tag and score. As a result, DR took a 4-0 lead and the game was effectively over from there.
I always get excited by action on the basepaths and, if you ask me, a perfectly executed swim move is one of the most thrilling plays there is. And it got me thinking…
We saw how much more of an all-round threat Soto was last year thanks to his newfound prowess on the basepaths. He stole a career-high 38 bases in 2025, and he showed on Friday a high IQ and a lot of athleticism to be able to not only score from first base, but also to twist his body like a pretzel in order to avoid the tag.
With the likes of Bo Bichette, Luis Robert Jr., and, potentially, Carson Benge on the team, I think we’re going to see a more athletic product from this lineup, potentially resulting in a lot more exciting action on the bases. And, as we saw last night, there is no reason to believe why Soto can’t lead that effort and become even more of a dual-threat offensive weapon. Plus, sign me up for all the swim moves in 2026. The more thrilling in-game action the better.
More To Prove
It is always wise to treat anything you see during spring training with a healthy dose of skepticism, both good and bad. Having a multi-homer game or tossing five perfect innings is always nice, but it is important to remember that these games are just pretend after all.
So, in that spirit, I’d urge you all to proceed with caution when it comes to Kodai Senga’s start to spring training. And, more specifically, when thinking about his encouraging outing on Friday.
Senga took the ball against the Marlins and was lights out, striking out five across three perfect innings. He threw just 37 pitches, 28 of which were strikes. More importantly, Senga touched 99 mph on the radar gun and displayed a lot of movement with his pitches. In short, he looked like prime Senga. It was also the second straight performance that flashed what the righty could be once again for this team.
He looked outstanding.
Friday’s outing certainly elicited memories of the dominant pitcher who took Queens by storm during his debut season in 2023, finishing with a 2.98 ERA. The ghost fork, which became Senga’s go-to pitch when he was at the peak of his powers, made an appearance on Friday, while we also saw a tantalizing “miracle ball” slow curve thrown in for good measure too.
All in all, you couldn’t help but come away from Friday excited at the potential of seeing this version of Senga dominate lineups throughout the regular season.
But, here comes the rub. While I’m really trying not to play the role of party pooper here, I do think we need to see a lot more from Senga once we get to games that actually matter before we get too ahead of ourselves. While the man himself has made it clear that he’s healthy following an offseason full of rehabbing the brain and body, we need to see how that holds up over the course of a full 162-game season.
It is one thing to feel good a few weeks into camp, and quite another to still feel that way come the dog days of summer. Especially when you factor in Senga’s history over the past couple of years. Again, I’m not trying to be that guy and speak in negative tones just because I can. I just need to see Senga pitch like he did on Friday in games that actually matter over a sustained period of time before I truly buy in again.
Heck, I’ve already seen some noise on social media about Senga being slotted in as the No. 3 starter behind Freddy Peralta and Nolan McLean. While we know Senga has the talent and the ability to thrive in that role, he also can’t automatically be depended on as the third starter until he proves he can remain healthy and pitch at a consistent level.
As of right now, Clay Holmes seems the more reliable option as the number three starter in that rotation. Having returned from WBC duty with Team USA, the righty backed up Senga’s performance with a strong outing of his own. He allowed just one run over five innings while striking out six. Now, while my spring training rule also applies to Holmes, he did show last season that he can be relied upon almost every time he’s on the mound. And, entering his second season as a starter, hopefully there’s a world in which Holmes can increase his innings total and be really effective all the way through. I’d feel more comfortable slotting in Holmes behind Peralta and McLean to at least start the season.
Of course, if Senga can put it all together and finally get back to being anywhere close to the pitcher he was in 2023 over the course of a full season, Holmes is a really nice No. 4 starter to help solidify the backend of the rotation. But, again, Senga has a long way to go before he can be fully trusted and fully counted on. Until then, I’d have Holmes above Senga in the rotation.
Odd Man Out
How do you solve the Mark Vientos riddle?
The slugger went 0-for-4 against the Nationals and, while those kinds of days will happen for hitters both in spring training and during the regular season, it just continues what has been a slow spring for Vientos so far.
Through six Grapefruit League games, he’s hitting just .059/.111/.118/.229 with no home runs and three strikeouts. Not exactly what you want to see from a guy who is coming off a bad season offensively.
Furthermore, I think it would be fair to question Vientos’ decision to go and play in the World Baseball Classic. While I know representing your country is a huge deal, Vientos left what is an incredibly important camp for both him and the Mets, considering that he is learning a new position at first base. The choice is more puzzling when you learn that Vientos played mostly third base for Team Nicaragua.
For a young player with still a lot to prove, and having been asked to get ready to move over to first, I do think the time away from camp has already proved to be costly. Especially when you consider how well Brett Baty has adapted to life at multiple positions, including at first.
Now, it is clear the front office still sees something in the 26-year-old, and he did make some hard contact on Friday, which can be seen as an encouraging sign. But, on the flip side, there is a bit of a roster logjam and, as of right now, Vientos looks to be the odd man out heading into Opening Day.
When you consider that Baty is more suited defensively to playing at first, coupled with the fact that Jorge Polanco could likely end up becoming the everyday DH, there is an argument to be made that trying to trade Vientos would be the best move for all parties. To add further weight to that argument, moving Vientos would allow the Mets to more easily carry both Carson Benge and Mike Tauchman on the Opening Day roster, two players who arguably have more to offer this team as of right now.
What the return would be is a good question, with Vientos’ value no doubt at an all-time low. But I’m sure there are teams out there who would take a chance on a player who hit 27 home runs in the major leagues just two years ago, and maybe the Mets could turn Vientos into some more pitching depth.
A lot can change in baseball on any given day, but Vientos isn’t doing his own case any good with a sluggish spring. Unless he can author a turnaround, he could be playing his way out of Queens in the not-too-distant future.
Around the League 🚩
Team USA beat Canada 5-3 in the quarterfinals of the WBC to book a mouthwatering showdown with DR in the semifinals
Yankees C Austin Wells hit a three-run homer to help the Dominican Republic seal a 10-0 win against Korea in the other quarterfinal on Friday
Orioles C Samuel Basallo had himself a five-RBI day with a homer and a double in an 11-8 loss to the Phillies
RF Kyle Tucker hit his first home run of spring training as the Dodgers beat the Mariners, 10-7
One thing I’d like to see more of is the Dominican player Soto is. He is much more animated playing in this WBC than he has been for the Mets or anyone really in the big leagues. I like seeing him more animated and playing like he enjoys the game. I also hope we get the bat he has shown so far for his country. They can’t get the guy out and should he play this way for the Mets all season I’d have to believe they have their first MVP. IF Senga is back to ‘23 form and Holmes gives us what he did last season with a little more length this is shaping up to a serious rotation that can go toe to toe with any in the league. I am certainly getting excited by what I’ve seen so far. Manaea can go have surgery and the five man rotation can live on. The season is almost here!
Anyone else get nervous with Soto sliding headfirst into home?