The New York Mets fell 2-0 to the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on Saturday in spring training play. Despite Francisco Alvarez's 2-for-3 with a double effort at the plate, the Mets could not pull even when it mattered. On the mound, Sean Manaea turned in a solid outing, working 3.0 innings of 1-run ball with one strikeout. The Mets finished with 6 hits on the day while holding the Marlins to 3. The Mets will look to regroup as spring training rolls on. There is still time to work through the rough patches before the regular season arrives, and the coaching staff will use today's performance as a learning opportunity.
Key Performers
Francisco Alvarez was the standout at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double. The ability to drive the ball into the gaps stood out. It was the kind of day at the plate that suggests good things ahead for the Mets offense.
Marcus Semien added to the attack, going 1-for-3, Carson Benge provided support, going 1-for-4, and A.J. Ewing also contributed, going 1-for-3. Despite the individual efforts, the offense could not generate enough sustained production.
On the other side of the diamond, Connor Norby led the Marlins offense with a 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI day. Heriberto Hernández also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a home run and an RBI. The Marlins 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 grinding through his innings, working 3.0 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 1 hit with one strikeout. He threw 33 pitches in the outing. His outing provided the coaching staff with another data point as rotation and bullpen decisions loom.
The bullpen combined for 4.3 innings of work, allowing 1 earned run while striking out six. The relief corps kept the game within reach after the starter departed. Managing the bullpen workload is a key priority during the spring, and every outing helps the coaching staff gauge who is ready for high-leverage situations. Josh Ekness recorded the save to close out the game.
Among the relievers, Craig Kimbrel stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. The outing gave the coaching staff confidence in his ability to contribute this season.
How It Happened
Marlins got on the board first with a run in the first inning. Marlins tacked on a run in the sixth. The Mets out-hit Marlins 6-3 on the day, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 4,083 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
The Mets will regroup and get back to work in their next outing. While the final score was not in their favor, the exhibition season is about building toward the regular season, and this game provided useful reps for a roster still taking shape. The coaching staff will review the performance and make adjustments before the next time out.
