Mets Fall to Astros 8-5 in Spring Training Game

Image credits: Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

The New York Mets took on the Houston Astros at the Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches on Tuesday afternoon, resulting in an 8-5 loss for the Mets. Left-handed pitcher Brandon Waddell made his spring debut for the Mets, opposing one of the Astros' top aces, right-handed pitcher Ronel Blanco. Waddell struggled with his pitch count in the first inning, giving up a walk, a double, and a defensive fielding error that allowed two runs to score. He was only able to face two batters in the second inning before being relieved by the bullpen.

The Mets' bullpen had a mixed performance, with some pitchers struggling to contain the Astros' offense. Alfred Vega, who relieved Waddell, gave up two earned runs on two hits and two walks. However, Dakota Hawkins and Reed Garrett combined for a 1 1/3 hitless inning, with Garrett striking out one batter. Chris Devenski gave up one run on one hit but struck out two batters in his inning of work. Austin Warren struggled in his inning, giving up two earned runs on two hits and a walk, including a home run to the Astros' top prospect, Cam Smith. Rico Garcia and Connor Overton closed out the pitching for the Mets, with Garcia throwing a scoreless inning and Overton giving up a home run to Smith, his second of the day.

Offensively, the Mets had some solid performances, with Luisangel Acuna, Jesse Winker, Brett Baty, Jose Siri, and Jared Young all contributing. Baty stayed hot with two hits, including his first home run of the spring, a solo shot to right center in the top of the third. Siri also knocked his first home run of the spring, a monster bullet to left center. Young, a newcomer to the Mets, reached base on all three of his plate appearances, collecting two hits, a walk, and a run scored. The Mets out-hit the Astros 11-8, but the Astros capitalized more on scoring opportunities, ultimately leading to their 8-5 win. Spring training is a time for teams to experiment and fine-tune their lineups, and the Mets are no exception. With young players like Baty and Siri showing promise, the Mets have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming season. The team's depth is also being tested, with players like Jared Young competing for a spot on the roster.

The Astros' Cam Smith was the star of the game, hitting two home runs to help lead his team to victory. Smith's performance was a highlight of the game, and he could offer the Astros some depth in the future at the corner. The Mets are back on the road on Wednesday to take on the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium at 1:10 p.m. before returning to their spring training home, Clover Park, on Thursday. The game will feature right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn on the mound for the Mets against right-handed pitcher Max Meyer for the Marlins. Here are the match scores:

• Mets 5
• Astros 8

The Mets' player statistics were as follows:

• Brett Baty: 2 hits, 1 home run, 1 RBI, 1 run scored
• Jared Young: 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 run scored
• Jose Siri: 1 hit, 1 home run, 1 RBI, 1 run scored

The tournament schedule for the Mets is as follows:

1. Wednesday: vs. Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium, 1:10 p.m.
2. Thursday: vs. TBD at Clover Park, TBD

The team rankings are currently:

• Mets: 2-2 in spring training
• Astros: 3-1 in spring training

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