The New York Mets dropped a 3-1 decision to the St. Louis Cardinals at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Thursday in spring training play. Despite Jorge Polanco's 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI effort at the plate, the Mets could not pull even when it mattered. Sean Manaea worked 2.2 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 6 hits. The Cardinals out-hit the Mets 8-5 on the day. Despite the result, the coaching staff gathered useful data on the current state of the roster. Spring training losses sting, but the information gained will inform decisions as Opening Day approaches.
Key Performers
Jorge Polanco was the standout at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Mets confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.
Jacob Reimer added to the attack, going 1-for-1, Luis Robert Jr. provided support, going 1-for-3, and Tyrone Taylor also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a double. While there were individual bright spots, the lineup could not string hits together consistently.
On the other side of the diamond, Nelson Velázquez led the Cardinals offense with a 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBI day. Alec Burleson also contributed, going 1-for-2 with an RBI. Nolan Gorman added a 2-for-2 with a double and a triple effort as well. The Cardinals offense proved to be too much for the Mets pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Sean Manaea took the loss after struggling with his command, working 2.2 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 6 hits with four strikeouts. He threw 56 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Mets evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.
The bullpen was excellent, combining for 5.1 scoreless innings while striking out three. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today provided useful information about the current state of the bullpen. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions. Skylar Hales recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Tobias Myers stood out with 3.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.
How It Happened
The Mets struck first, plating a run in the first inning. Cardinals responded with two runs in the first. Cardinals pushed across a run in the second. Cardinals out-hit the Mets 8-5, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 5,477 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
It was not the outcome the Mets were looking for, but spring training provides a forgiving environment to work through the rough patches. The focus remains on preparation and development, and the coaching staff will use today as a teaching opportunity. The regular season is right around the corner, and every game is a chance to improve.
