Author: MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

The Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 3-2, on Friday afternoon at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie as spring training nears the end.

Here are the takeaways...

- Clay Holmes made his final spring start before taking the mound on Opening Day against the Houston Astros, and continued to look good. The right-hander struck out two Cardinals in the first inning thanks to his nasty kick-changeup. He added his third and fourth strikeouts in the second and third innings while keeping it a scoreless game.

Holmes kept it going in the fourth inning thanks to a double play and another strikeout, and then struck out two more to get through the fifth inning. Holmes stayed in the game in the sixth inning, striking out Jordan Walker for his last batter of the day.

Holmes' final line: two hits allowed, eight strikeouts, and three walks over 88 pitches in 5.1 innings pitched. Overall, Holmes ended his first spring training as a starter with a 0.93 ERA, 23 strikeouts, and just eight walks over 19.1 innings.

- Getting the start at shortstop and fighting for a roster spot amid Jeff McNeil's oblique injury, Luisangel Acuña made a nice sliding stop behind second base and throw to first to get Alec Burleson for the final out of the third inning. Acuña didn't have the same success at the plate, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout.

- Brett Batymade a leaping catch at third base on José Fermín's liner and quick throw to 1B Mark Vientos to double up Pedro Pagés in the top of the fourth inning. Baty kept the momentum going by registering New York's first hit of the day -- a double to the wall in center field in the bottom half of the fourth, giving him three straight games with a double. The 25-year-old then crushed a two-run homer, his third of the spring, in the bottom of the sixth to give the Mets a 3-0 lead.

- Alexander Canario got the Mets a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth inning by walking and then stealing second base. He came around to score on Pete Alonso's double to left field, making it 1-0 Mets.

- RHP Huascar Brazobán came in for relief in the top of the sixth inning and tossed 1.2 scoreless innings with three strikeouts and three walks. Dedniel Núñez replaced Brazobán on the mound in the top of the eighth and got into some trouble. The righty gave up a two-run home run to Leonardo Bernal, as the Cardinals trailed, 3-2. Núñezstayed in the game to get a ground out and strikeout, ending the frame.

Who was the game MVP?

As good as Holmes was on the mound, Friday's game MVP goes to Baty, who continues to show why he deserves a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Highlights

Clay Holmes with two first inning strikeouts! ✌ pic.twitter.com/jEYv8LmCMk

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 21, 2025

Luisangel Acuña 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/I5yXktKPOV

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 21, 2025

Brett Baty doubles up Pedro Pagés! pic.twitter.com/vdlo0SMRiD

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 21, 2025

Clay Holmes' 5th strikeout of the day ♨️ pic.twitter.com/ogIqcAWSFp

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 21, 2025

Brett Baty's third straight game with a double 💪 pic.twitter.com/ZkD7KF1n03

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 21, 2025

Clay Holmes with 7 strikeouts in 5 scoreless innings! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/afPE6LGvZq

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 21, 2025

Pete Alonso with an RBI double to bring in the Mets' first run of the day! pic.twitter.com/PxxkEg1Cyg

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 21, 2025

BRETT BATY CANNOT BE STOPPED THIS SPRING 💣 pic.twitter.com/wq9g1rk528

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 21, 2025

What's next

The Mets play their third-to-last spring training game on Saturday against the Washington Nationals at 1:10 p.m. on SNY.

Tylor Megill is scheduled to take the mound at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie.

Former Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías was suspended through the All-Star break for a second violation of MLB’s policy against domestic violence and sexual assault.

Under the discipline, announced Friday by commissioner Rob Manfred, Urías will be reinstated July 17 and be eligible to sign with any team.

Urías is the first player suspended twice under the policy, which was adopted in 2015. Urías was suspended for 20 games in 2019.

The latest suspension does not cover a particular number of games, as teams do not play a uniform number of games before the break. The Dodgers, for instance, are scheduled to play 95 games before the break.

Read more:Tokyo takeaways: Dodgers relish experience, expect Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts back soon

However, of the 18 players suspended under the policy, only three have been suspended for more than 95 games.

Pitcher Trevor Bauer, a teammate of Urías with the Dodgers, was suspended 324 games by Manfred. An arbitrator later reduced the suspension to 194 games, still the longest levied under the policy.

Bauer is the only player who has contested such a suspension.

The 28-year-old Urías, a native of Mexico, is a free agent and would be eligible to sign with a team in the Mexican League, even as he remains on the restricted list in MLB.

Players suspended under the policy often issue a statement through the players union. Urias chose not to do so.

MLB said Urías agreed to evaluation by a policy board overseen by the league and the union and to comply with any recommended treatment plan. MLB also said it would “continue to make support services available to Urías and his family.”

Said Manfred in the statement: “The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball has completed its investigation into allegations that free agent pitcher Julio Urías violated Major League Baseball’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. Having reviewed all of the available evidence, I have concluded that Mr. Urías violated our Policy and that discipline is appropriate.”

Read more:Witness video in former Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías' domestic battery case released

Urías was arrested outside BMO Stadium on Sept. 3, 2023, following an LAFC game. Eight months later he pleaded no contest to one misdemeanor count of domestic battery. Witness video provided to the California Highway Patrol and obtained by The Times last September shows Urías charging after his wife, pulling her aside and shoving her against a fence. After the two were separated, the video shows Urías swinging at her with his left hand.

The MLB investigation was delayed in part because, while the existence of the video was reported shortly after the incident, league officials had not seen it until The Times published it.

Urías was arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence, but the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office determined that “neither the victim’s injuries nor the defendant’s criminal history justify a felony filing.” The city attorney’s office subsequently filed five misdemeanor charges against Urías. He pleaded no contest to one, the other four were dropped, and he agreed to enter a yearlong domestic violence treatment program.

He also agreed to complete a similar program in 2019, when he was arrested after an incident in the Beverly Center parking lot. Witnesses said he pushed his fiancee, she said she fell, and no charges were filed.

The league subsequently suspended him. Under its policy the league can suspend a player even if no charges are filed.

At that time Urías issued a statement that read in part: “Although the authorities determined no charges of any kind were warranted, I accept full responsibility for what I believe was my inappropriate conduct during the incident.

“Even in this instance where there was no injury or history of violence, I understand and agree that Major League players should be held to a higher standard. I hold myself to a higher standard as well.”

Read more:Jackie Robinson's Army story restored to Defense Department site after removal in DEI purge

Urías was placed on administrative leave for the final month of the 2023 season, after which his contract with the Dodgers expired and he became a free agent.

He has not pitched since then.

Bauer, a Cy Young Award winner, has been a free agent since January 2023, following the arbitrator’s ruling. No major league team has signed him. He pitched in Japan in 2023 and in Mexico in 2024 and signed to return to Japan this year.

Urías recorded the final out of the Dodgers’ World Series championship in 2020. He led the National League in victories (20) in 2021 and earned-run average (2.16) in 2022.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Veteran 1B/OF Dominic Smith is opting out of his contract with the Yankees and will become a free agent, according to multiple reports.

SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino reported earlier Friday that if the Yankees did not add Smith to the 40-man roster by the end of the day, he would have 24 hours to opt out of the deal.

Smith, 29, has had a solid spring training with New York, hitting .297 with three home runs and 12 RBI over 37 at-bats. He was a non-roster invitee.

“He came in and has done everything he has needed to do," manager Aaron Boone told the media including MLB.com's Bryan Hoch on Friday. "Clearly, he’s a big league player. He’s been great in the room. He’s performed. I feel like he’s in really good shape. So we’ll see what happens.”

The Yankees still have 24 hours to add Smith to the roster, but with so many left-handed bats expected to break camp, there may not be room for the veteran.

Smith played 93 games in the big leagues during the 2024 season, spending most of his time with the Boston Red Sox (84 games) before joining the Cincinnati Reds (nine games). Smith owned a .233/.313/.378 slash line in 2024 with six home runs, 22 doubles, and 34 RBI.

Smith was drafted with the No. 11 pick in the 2013 MLB Draft out of high school by the Mets and spent the first six seasons of his career in Queens from 2017 through 2022, hitting 46 homers over 446 games. He then played 153 games for the Washington Nationals in 2023.

With Smith opting out, it appears that former top prospect INF Oswald Perazawill make the Opening Day roster as he had no options left.

The Mets are making a depth signing, adding outfielder Billy McKinney on a minor league deal, reports Will Sammon of The Athletic.

McKinney, 30, had some success with the Mets in 2021, posting a .776 OPS and 109 OPS+ in 39 games, but it's been mostly a struggle for him since.

Over the last three seasons during stints with the Athletics, Yankees, and Pirates, McKinney has slashed just .190/.276/.327 in 232 plate appearances over 81 big league games.

McKinney, who figures to report to Triple-A Syracuse, will give the Mets another option who would likely only be turned to in the majors if the team suffered multiple injuries in the outfield.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza spoke ahead of Friday's spring training game.

Here are the most important notes...

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Jeff McNeil not close to returning

McNeil, who has been out a little over a week due to a mild oblique injury, is still having symptoms.

"Until he's symptom-free, that's when we'll re-image it," Mendoza said about a follow-up MRI for McNeil, who has not yet been cleared for baseball activity.

The expectation when the injury was diagnosed was that McNeil would need three-to-four weeks before returning to big league game action.

With McNeil out, Brett Baty seems to be on track to not only make the team out of camp, but perhaps be the regular second baseman in McNeil's absence.

If Luisangel Acuña is on the Opening Day roster, he would be a logical option to start at second base against left-handers.

Brett Baty the second baseman

Since McNeil's injury, Baty has gotten most of his starts at second base. And he has excelled, including making all but one routine play that has come his way in addition to a handful of sparkling plays.

On Thursday night against the Nationals, Baty was on the tail end of a tough double play that was executed with Francisco Lindor.

"That turn was pretty athletic," Mendoza said. "That's not an easy thing to do, especially when you're learning that position.

"Then there's the range that he's shown. Ideally, it was in there, but to show it at second base, up the middle, going to his right, the way he's going to his left. Just having the awareness of where to go on cuts and relays. The communication in-between pitches with not only Lindor but the other infielders. He's been really, really good."

What's the plan for Luisangel Acuña?

David Stearns made it clear earlier this spring that the Mets are more than comfortable with what Acuña can offer defensively, but noted that the infielder is an unfinished product offensively.

Speaking on Friday, Mendoza echoed similar sentiments.

"When he controls the strike zone, we know he can do some damage," Mendoza explained. "That's what it comes down to. He can do a lot of different things -- defensively, offensively, baserunning-wise. He's having a good camp.

"I feel comfortable with him anywhere in the infield -- even if we put him in the outfield. Even though he hasn't played outfield this camp, he got a few reps in center field last year in the minor leagues."

The final spot on the roster could come down to Acuña or Donovan Walton.

If the Mets opt for upside, Acuña will be the pick. If they would rather Acuña continue to hone his offensive skills in the minors, it's fair to believe Walton will be the choice.

The Mets face the Cardinals on Friday at 1:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

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Mets Notes

• Clay Holmes gets the start in what will be his final appearance before Opening Day on March 27 against the Astros in Houston
• Brett Baty has a 1.022 OPS this spring in 45 at-bats

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Phillies rotation is better equipped if disaster strikes in 2025 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CLEARWATER, Fla. — It’s been said that the Phillies have one of the best top-to-bottom rotations in baseball going into the new season.

Of course, many who said it also thought the Eagles should be underdogs to Kansas City in Super Bowl LIX. As Yogi Berra noted, “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.” Once the first pitch is thrown at Nationals Park on March 27, those rah-rah words will be worthless as Confederate money. All that will matter is how well they actually pitch.

And the best-case scenario is intoxicating.

Zack Wheeler replicates his 2024 dominance and wins his first Cy Young Award after two agonizingly close misses. Aaron Nola sidesteps the one-bad-inning syndrome that has dogged him recently and also earns Cy Young votes. Left-hander Ranger Suarez, who was scary good a year ago before a variety of ailments derailed him, goes wire-to-wire at the top of his form. Cristopher Sanchez continues to blossom. Jesus Luzardo, the signature offseason acquisition, bounces back from injuries and pitches as well as he did for the Marlins in 2022 and 2023.

But …

And you knew there was going to be a but …

Wheeler will turn 35 at the end of May. Including the playoffs, he’s pitched more than 200 innings each of the past two seasons, the first time he’s carried that workload in back-to-back years.

Nola has been remarkably consistent throughout his career but has fallen into a curious every-other-year pattern. Since his breakout season in 2018, his ERA has been much better in even-numbered years (3.07) than odd (4.32). The hope, then, is he breaks that mold in ’25.

Suarez was a beast through his first 15 starts in 2024 (10-1, 1.75) and largely ineffective after that (4-8, 6.17 in 12 starts with two trips to the injured list). He’s already dealing with back stiffness that may delay his start to the season. He’s also in his contract year, which some players embrace. And some don’t. Sanchez’ ERA also rose significantly in the second half, 3.79 compared to 2.96. And after a career year (10-10, 3.58, 208 strikeouts) for the Marlins in 2023, Luzardo was limited to 12 starts last year by elbow and lower back problems.

What will actually happen as the schedule unspools will almost certainly land somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. But write this down in ink: Every team will need more than their original five starters before it’s all over.

In 2024, MLB teams used an average of 12.87 different starting pitchers. Only the Mariners (7), Padres and Yankees (8) and Royals (9) needed fewer than 10. At the other end of the spectrum, the Dodgers, White Sox and Brewers required 17, the Angels 18 and the Marlins a staggering 20. Four full rotations’ worth.

The Phillies used an even dozen. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is relatively satisfied that the organization is well-armed to withstand the unexpected challenges that will inevitably pop up along the way.

“As confident as one can be,” he said earlier this spring while sitting in his BayCare Ballpark office. “You never can have enough options if the wrong guys get hurt. But the reality is that I think we’re about as deep as we’ve been in starting pitching since I’ve been here.”

Here are some of the potential options:

Joe Ross

The 31-year-old right-hander was used as a swingman by the Brewers last season before signing a one-year, $4 million contract with the Phillies that includes bonuses which could add another $1 million if he stays on the active roster all season. It has to be noted, though, that he had a 4.98 ERA in 10 starts for Milwaukee compared to 1.67 in 15 relief appearances.

Andrew Painter

The Phillies are bringing their touted 21-year-old uber-prospect along cautiously coming off his July 2023 Tommy John surgery but the expectation is that he’ll make his MLB debut this season.

Taijuan Walker

He was considered a longshot coming into spring training after an ugly 3-7, 7.10 stat line last season, but pitched well enough in the Grapefruit League to allow the organization to believe it could still get some value from the remaining two years and $36 million on his contract … or make him attractive to another team looking for pitching.

Which starter might get promoted from the minors when a need arises often depends on how well each candidate is performing at the time, as well as how well their next scheduled start lines up with when the big-league club has the hole to fill. “Some of our young starting pitching is starting to progress where we feel like they can give us some depth,” Dombrowski said. That category would include:

Seth Johnson

The 25-year-old acquired from Baltimore at last year’s deadline made his MLB debut last September after putting up a 1.52 ERA in August at Double A Reading. He’s really thrown the ball well,” manager Rob Thomson said early in spring training. “His one start, first in the major leagues last year in Miami (8 H, 3 BB, 9 ER in 2.1 IP), I kind of take that with a grain of salt. He’s throwing strikes while he’s been here. “

Moises Chace

The 21-year-old, who came to the Phillies along with Johnson in the deal that sent Gregory Soto to the Orioles, had 124 strikeouts in 80.1 innings at three minor league levels last season but also walked 40. If he can improve his command, he could arrive sooner rather than later.

Mick Abel

The Phillies’ first-round draft choice in 2020 hasn’t lived up to expectations to this point, mostly due to control issues. But he still has the power arm that tantalized scouts and, at 23, still has a chance to put it all together. “He’s really growing up. He gained 10, 15 pounds over the winter and he’s strong,” Thomson said.

Jean Cabrera

Was added to the 40-man roster in December after pitching in 20 games (19 starts) for High A Jersey Shore and Double A Reading last year. He struck out 110 in 106.2 innings and had a 1.21 WHIP.

Tyler Phillips

After being called up in June, he went 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in his first three starts. In his next three, though, his ERA was 13.91. But he’s experienced – 134 minor-league starts – and could be the right man at the right time if help is needed. Phillips is out of minor-league options.

Concluded Dombrowski: “I’m as comfortable where we are as you can be. But, again, you never know if it’s going to be enough.”

It was another productive day at spring training for the Mets, who are now less than a week away from Opening Day following a 10-3 blowout win over the Washington Nationals.

Before and after the game, manager Carlos Mendoza shined a light on some of the things he and the rest of the coaching staff are seeing from players on the team as final roster cuts begin to loom.

Reliever on the rise

Max Kranick has been perhaps the most surprising pitcher at camp this year as the 27-year-old has dominated opposing hitters whenever he's been on the mound. That continued on Thursday night when the right-hander struck out two batters in his two scoreless innings of work, throwing 19 pitches and 11 strikes.

It was the third time Kranick pitched two innings so far in spring training, but the first time since Feb. 27. In fact, in all but one outing this year Kranick has recorded more than three outs, showing he's capable of being a multi-inning reliever which is of great value in a modern-day bullpen with starters no longer asked to pitch deep into games.

"[Kranick's] a guy that is a multiple inning guy," Mendoza said. "... [He] attacked the strike zone [on Thursday], slider was good, life on the fastball, continues to throw strikes and that’s what you want out of a guy like that that is capable of going multiple innings."

Kranick's ascension as a bullpen arm has been surprising because of his lack of MLB experience and because he hasn't pitched in the majors since 2022 as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Even then, he only pitched five innings that year before undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Since then, Kranick was designated for assignment by the Pirates in January 2024 and claimed off waivers by the Mets a week later. And while he didn't make the team out of spring training (started the season on the IL), Kranick pitched well in Triple-A with a 3.57 ERA (1.22 WHIP) in 63 innings across 41 appearances.

With a fastball that can reach the upper 90s and a devastating slider that he can also throw for strikes (one walk in 11.1 innings), New York hopes Kranick can be its secret weapon this year.

Luis Torrens -- good hitter

With the injury to Francisco Alvarez landing him on the IL to begin the season, the Mets will start the year with Torrens as their starting catcher. Known more for his defense -- especially his throwing arm -- Torrens showed New York he was capable with the bat as well at times. While it's not necessary for a backup catcher to be an offensive juggernaut, Torrens will have to step up like he did in 2024 while Alvarez is on the shelf.

On Thursday, the 28-year-old went 3-for-3 at the plate with a triple, three RBI and three runs scored in the heart of the Mets lineup.

"He’s a good hitter. We saw flashes last year, especially when he first came up and got the opportunity to play," Mendoza said. "This is a guy that can drive the baseball, knows what pitchers are trying to do in certain situations. He’s going to get an opportunity here and like I said, he’s a good player."

For his career, Torrens has slashed .227/.289/.356 with 22 home runs in 850 at-bats. If New York can get some pop out of Torrens along with great defense before Alvarez gets back, it should be fine, especially with so much firepower elsewhere in the lineup.

Starting rotation battle

The Mets still haven't unveiled their full starting rotation with a couple of spots still up for grabs and three pitchers -- Tylor Megill, Paul Blackbun and Griffin Canning -- vying for them.

All three pitchers have had strong moments during camp and Mendoza is pleased with how they are throwing the ball, as well as how they are recovering.

Asked if Megill has an inside track to make the Opening Day roster, the skipper wouldn't tip his hand.

"He’s in the mix, he’s in the conversation," Mendoza said. "Those three guys that we’re talking about, they’ve been throwing the ball really well, Megill being one of them. And that’s why this decision is not as easy as people think.

"You can make a case for Megill, you can make a case for Blackburn, you can make a case for Griffin [Canning]. All three of them are throwing the ball really well, they’re recovering well so that’s why we want to wait here and see what we’ve got."

Despite having the least amount of experience in the majors out of the three options, Megill has experience with New York, debuting with the Mets in 2021 and having varying amounts of success. The right-hander has looked good in Grapefruit League action, owning a 3.86 ERA (1.03 WHIP) with 13 strikeouts over 11.2 innings in three starts.

It's Canning, though, who's been the most impressive in camp with his 0.90 ERA (0.80 WHIP) and 16 strikeouts in 10 innings so far. A former second-round pick, Canning signed with the Mets on a one-year, $4.25 million contract during the offseason after spending five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

In his career, the 28-year-old is 25-34 with a 4.78 ERA (1.33 WHIP).

Having missed almost the entirety of the Mets' 2024 season due to injuries, Kodai Senga is making sure he's doing everything he can to stay healthy and on the field for New York in 2025.

So far in spring training, the right-hander has put himself in great position to be a key contributor in the starting rotation, including another solid outing on Thursday night against the Washington Nationals where he went 3.2 innings and didn't allow a hit.

Manager Carlos Mendoza thought his starter's performance was a tale of two halves. He felt Senga "was a little off" in the first couple of innings before completely flipping the script in his last two innings.

"It was a good day of work for him," Mendoza said. "I thought the first couple of innings he was a little off, command was off and it looked like he didn’t have the best feel for his pitches. And then that third inning and the fourth inning it was the complete opposite – he was pretty nasty."

Senga threw just 49 pitches on the night, four less than his previous start, but struck out six and really found his groove deeper into the game, retiring the last nine batters he faced. He also touched 96 mph on his fastball and threw all of his pitches well.

"It was a good outing, I got a lot out of it," Senga said through an interpreter.

Thursday's outing marks Senga's final Grapefruit League action before the start of the regular season. All told, the 32-year-old threw nine innings in three starts and had a 2.00 ERA (1.22 WHIP) with nine strikeouts.

He's now on track to pitch against the Miami Marlins in the Mets' second series of the regular season, an accomplishment Senga doesn't take for granted following his injury-riddled season last year.

"He’s on a mission," Mendoza said. "This is a guy that wants to stay healthy because of what he went through last year. He knows he’s a big part of this team and I see a guy that is having fun. Last year he went down early and it was frustrating for him. Now you can see a smile on his face."

Still, because of his lack of innings thrown in 2024, Senga and the training staff will have to take every precaution this season for the Japanese-born pitcher not to have a similar fate this season. After all, he's much too important to the team who missed him badly last year.

But if New York can get an entire season from a fully healthy Senga, the one who finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023 after going 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 166.1 innings, the Mets' pitching staff will have one less question to answer.

"I’m on the same page with the coaches, the training staff, everybody on the team and they’re doing their best to keep me on the field and I’m doing what I can to stay on the field," Senga said. "So we’re all on the same page and I think we have a good step going forward."

In their second and final meeting of Grapefruit League play, the Yankees defeated the rival Baltimore Orioles, 9-7, on Thursday night in Sarasota.

Here are the takeaways...

-- It didn't take long for the Yankees to produce offense. After a one-out walk from Aaron Judge and a line-drive single from Jasson Dominguez in the first inning, Jazz Chisholm Jr. brought his teammates home with a deep two-run double off the right field wall.

-- Poised to claim a rotation spot, Will Warren made his fifth start (sixth appearance) of camp. The outing didn't start on a high note for the Yankees' fifth-overall prospect, as he gave up a mammoth solo homer to Ryan O'Hearn in the first. The blast was sandwiched between a strikeout, flyout, and groundout. New York led 2-1 after one.

-- Chisholm provided even more damage at the plate in his second at-bat. With two runners on and one out in the third, he crushed an inside fastball that landed well beyond the right-field wall for a three-run shot. It was Chisholm's third homer of the spring and second in as many games.

-- Warren didn't thrive with more breathing room in the bottom frame. He allowed back-to-back singles to Jackson Holliday and Cedric Mullins to open the third, and shortly thereafer, Adley Rutschman took a wheelhouse fastball deep to left for a three-run jack. The hard contact continued on the ensuing at-bats, but Warren escaped holding a 5-4 lead.

-- After the Yankees went down in order in the fourth, Warren returned to the mound. He allowed a leadoff walk, but recovered by striking out Holliday and forcing Mullins into a fielder's choice. That marked the end for Warren, who allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 3.2 innings. He built his pitch count up to 74.

-- Anthony Volpe joined the homer party in the sixth, crushing a breaking ball from Seranthony Dominguez for a solo shot to deep left-center. His third homer of camp and second hit of the night bumped the Yankees' lead to 6-4.

-- Ian Hamilton entered the sixth with a flawless 0.00 ERA across 8.1 innings this spring, but his seventh appearance of camp wasn't smooth sailing. He experienced the highs and lows, allowing one run on three hits while still striking out three. So much for that perfect ERA -- it now sits at 9.00.

-- Yerry De Los Santos, who's aiming to earn a bullpen spot, worked around a leadoff walk in the seventh by striking out two and inducing a groundout. He returned for one matchup in the eight inning, and happened to strike out former Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez.

-- Ben Rice didn't bring his hot bat to Sarasota. As the Yankees' catcher, he went hitless in the leadoff spot across four at-bats. Cody Bellinger and Dominguez logged a single and run scored apiece across seven combined at-bats, while Oswaldo Cabrera singled once in three trips.

-- Judge failed to collect a hit in his 11th game of camp, but managed to get on base with a pair of walks and runs scored. It was also a quiet night at the plate for top prospect Spencer Jones -- he went 0-for-3 with a strikeout.

-- A group of Yankees farmhands produced a three-run eighth, as Omar Martinez delievered an RBI double and Brendan Jones drove in two with a single to center.

Highlights

Jazz doubles to plate Judge & Jasson 💪 pic.twitter.com/ElZHRsanSq

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) March 20, 2025

JAZZ CHISHOLM JR.!

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/2rNU5rZr2t

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 20, 2025

Anthony Volpe BLASTS a home run ⚡️

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/8O7HQlgkOa

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) March 21, 2025

What's next

The Yankees (13-12) will travel 80 miles north-east to Lakeland for a Friday night matchup against the Detroit Tigers (6:05 p.m. first pitch).

The Mets had another offensive onslaught on Thursday night, this time against the Washington Nationals in a 10-3 win.

Here are the takeaways...

-Kodai Senga, looking for a better outing than his last one on March 14 when he allowed seven hits, including a home run, in 3.1 innings with just one strikeout, made his third start of the spring and delivered a spectacular performance. In 3.2 innings, the right-hander's swing-and-miss stuff was back, consistently getting hitters to chase and generating a ton of whiffs on his way to six strikeouts on 49 pitches (29 strikes).

The 32-year-old didn't allow a hit on the night, but he walked two, including CJ Abrams to lead off the bottom of the first who then scored from second base on a dropped third strike by Luis Torrens, who made an errant throw to first base, allowing the runner to advance to second. After another walk, Senga didn't allow the inning to get away from him, as he induced an inning-ending double play niftily turned by Francisco Lindor and Brett Baty.

From there, Senga retired the next batters eight he faced before getting pulled in the fourth inning.

-On offense, New York got to work immediately after going down 1-0, scoring three in the second, two in the third, and five in the fourth. Luisangel Acuña, batting ninth and playing third base, got the party started with a two-run single the opposite way to give the Mets the lead -- one they would never relinquish.

Acuña finished 2-for-5, but had a bit of a weird play in the field where he took a bad route on a popup on the third base line before appearing to give up on the ball and giving way to left fielder Jose Azocar, who couldn't get to it either which allowed a run to score.

-Other notable contributors at the plate were Luis Torrens, who went 3-for-3 with a triple, three RBI, and three runs scored (he should buy a lottery ticket tonight). Jose Siri finished 3-for-4 with a double, three RBI, and a run scored, and Baty produced his fifth double of the spring along with a walk, an RBI, and two runs scored.

-Noticably absent from the hit parade was Lindor, who finished 0-for-5 with an RBI. The shortstop, who historically gets off to slow starts, has not had a great spring and is batting .163 (8-for-49) with a .459 OPS out of the leadoff spot. After his MVP-caliber season in 2024, in which he got off to possibly the worst start of his career, Lindor has earned the right for fans to be patient with him. But a good start to the season would certainly benefit New York's offense.

-Jesse Winker was back in the lineup for the first time since exiting Monday's game with cramps in his calf. Batting cleanup as the designated hitter, he went 0-for-2 with a walk and run scored before getting pinch-hit for in the sixth.

-Max Kranick, the reliever from out of nowhere who has been lights out this spring training, was at it again on Thursday. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder pitched two scoreless innings while striking out two more batters to get his total up to 14 in 11.1 innings. The 27-year-old right-hander, who last pitched in the majors in 2022 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, has done everything he can to get a spot on the Opening Day roster.

-Tyler Zuber, another reliever fighting for a roster spot who's shown promise during camp, pitched the final two innings and allowed a run on two hits and a walk while striking out two. It was the first run allowed by Zuber this spring, and he still owns a 1.17 ERA in 7.2 innings.

Highlights

✅ Double play
✅ Round of applause from Kodai Senga

Francisco Lindor and Brett Baty turn two 👏 pic.twitter.com/LbS1eHeca6

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 20, 2025

Luisangel Acuña goes the other way and brings home two! 💪 pic.twitter.com/8MQhYR4cEN

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 20, 2025

Triples makes it safe. Triples is best.

Luis Torrens brings home Pete Alonso with an RBI triple! pic.twitter.com/VJtZbfkJyx

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 20, 2025

Kodai Senga strikes out C.J. Abrams as part of a 1-2-3 third inning pic.twitter.com/6TW00Y7RRx

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 20, 2025

An RBI double off the wall by Brett Baty 🔥 pic.twitter.com/w34Lh6KYYJ

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 20, 2025

Jose Siri with a two-run double and it's a five-run inning for the Mets! pic.twitter.com/Mz70qIXWyg

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 20, 2025

Kodai Senga finishes his night with two more strikeouts 💪 pic.twitter.com/qCOPQaYtyW

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 20, 2025

What's next

The Mets will complete their spring training slate with a four-game homestand that begins on Friday afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals (1:10 p.m start).

Matt Rempe is out against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night due to an apparent illness. 

Rempe was on the ice before the New York Rangers’ morning skate on Thursday, which hinted something was up. 

Brennan Othmann will take Rempe’s spot in the lineup after serving as a healthy scratch for the past two games.

Meanwhile, Carson Soucy is set to replace Urho Vaakanainen in the lineup with Peter Laviolette looking to make a defensive shake up. 

Soucy was acquired by the Rangers from the Vancouver Canucks one day before the NHL Trade Deadline, but he’s been scratched for three consecutive games.