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Brett Baty, David Peterson proving capable of stepping up in wake of Mets injuries

With injuries up and down the Mets' roster before the start of the regular season has even arrived, Brett Baty and David Peterson have proven this spring that they are capable of stepping up and are doing everything they can to help carry the load.

Wednesday night's win over the Houston Astros was no different as both players had a significant impact on the outcome of the game.

Baty, playing second base as he continues to get comfortable at a new position, went 2-for-3 with a double and a triple to raise his batting average to .333 and his OPS to 1.010. He also made a fine defensive play in the field, showing off some range and his arm in the process.

With Jeff McNeil starting the season on the IL with a low-grade right oblique strain, Baty and Luisangel Acuña (and some others) have been battling it out for the starting second base job. While Acuña is the superior defender (and versatile, too), he hasn't hit much so far this spring or in his career at Triple-A.

And even after coming up to the majors late last season -- in the middle of a playoff race, no less -- and providing an offensive spark, it's still too small of a sample size to hang on to. On the other hand, Baty has been the exact opposite.

In his career, Baty has destroyed Triple-A pitching which has earned him a promotion to the big leagues on numerous occasions, but the 25-year-old has been unable to convert his success to the majors. However, unlike Acuña, Baty is having a phenomenal spring training offensively which is why he's currently leading the pack to start the season as McNeil's replacement.

While it's impossible not to take notice of Baty's offense so far, manager Carlos Mendoza is also liking what he's seeing out of Baty's defense lately.

"I thought he’s gotten comfortable as we’re progressing in camp," Mendoza said after Wednesday's win. "There was a really good play today to his right. Really good first step, the angle, he ended up diving for the ball, and then just having the awareness of who the runner was [and] knowing that he had time.

"Making the routine plays, going to the right places when he needs to. The communication between him and [Francisco] Lindor or some of the other infielders has been great so, like I said, I think he’s gotten comfortable."

If Baty keeps getting more comfortable at second base and is able to finally hit in the majors like he has this spring and in Triple-A, he may not give up the starting job even when McNeil returns.

As for Peterson, the lefty has been nothing short of brilliant in four spring outings so far, owning a 0.57 ERA over 15.2 innings in his first spring training without any hiccups in over two years. Against Houston on Wednesday, the 30-year-old went five scoreless innings and struck out four against an Astros lineup filled with starters.

"It was good to get the five ups, get the pitch count up and felt like we were able to work everything and see what we wanted to," he said. "... Having an offseason where I was able to get all my strength back and feel like I was 100 percent coming into camp was awesome and it’s been good to have a normal spring again."

With the Mets already down two starters in Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea to begin the season, Peterson is reminding everybody of what he did in 2024 and how important he can be to New York's rotation when fully healthy.

"Just trying to build off the good stuff mechanically that I had last year and get the pitches where I want to," Peterson said.

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New Penguins Defenseman Earning New Contract

Mar 18, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Conor Timmins (20) moves the puck in the defensive zone against the New York Islanders during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

The Pittsburgh Penguins were clear sellers at the NHL trade deadline this season, as they netted a lot of picks and few rostered players.

But one of those rostered players has made an impression in that short amount of time.

Defenseman Conor Timmins has been a steady presence on Pittsburgh's third pairing since being acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs - along with forward Connor Dewar - on Mar. 7. 

"I feel good," Timmins said. "I feel like the transition's been pretty smooth, and the guys have been great to me. So far, it's been good."

The smooth-skating blueliner has been contributing on both sides of the puck, registering a goal and four points in five games since joining the Penguins. In 51 games with Toronto this season, he produced just two goals and eight points total.

He is also second on the team in shots blocked per 60 at 5.28 and tied for first in shots blocked per game with 1.4. He's been mostly reliable in all zones, which is something that's a strength of his game. 

And his hockey smarts have also allowed him to transition pretty quickly to Pittsburgh's system.

"I just think he's a good player," Sullivan said. "He also has a hockey IQ, and I think that's what allows him to transition is his ability to think the game. That's something that we noticed early on when we got him. He has aptitude, he has a hockey IQ, he sees it pretty well on both sides of the puck... We think he's getting better with each game he plays. We've really liked what he's brought to his team so far."

He's been seeing a lot of ice time with defense partner Ryan Graves, who he played with sporadically during their time with the Colorado Avalanche in 2020-21. Graves said he likes playing with a partner like timmins who isn't afraid to have the puck on his stick.

"He's good with the puck," Graves said. "He's a puck-mover. He's got decent size, so he can defend... he plays a two-way game. I like playing with a guy like that who likes to handle [the puck] a little bit, that wants the puck, that you can give it to him in tough spots because he's able to handle it.

He's a good player, he's got good feet, he makes good passes, he's a simple player... so, it's nice."

Mar 13, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins left wing Danton Heinen (left) and defenseman Conor Timmins (20) celebrate a goal by Timmins against the St. Louis Blues during the second period at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

Beyond the transition on the ice - and the familiarity with a defense partner - Timmins's transition off the ice has been really smooth as well. He has enjoyed his time in Pittsburgh so far, and he looks forward to continue being a part of the locker room going forward.

"It's been super welcoming," Timmins said. "I talked to [former Penguin] Michael Bunting - I know him pretty well - so, before coming in, I spoke to him, and the first thing he mentioned was how great the room was here. So, I knew that I was coming into a great locker room, and the guys have been super helpful for me and Connor Dewar. It's been great."

Timmins is a pending-RFA this season, and there is no telling what the Penguins will decide to do in the offseason as far as their roster. In any case, Timmins is earning himself a new contract with each game he plays.

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!     

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Knicks unable to overcome poor first half in 120-105 loss to Spurs

The Knicks had a first half to forget, and could not complete an improbable comeback as they fell to the short-handed Spurs, 120-105, on Wednesday night in San Antonio.

New York was down by as much as 28 points but could not get any closer than eight points in the second half as they fell to 43-25 on the season.

The Spurs were losers of 20 of their last 29 games entering Wednesday, and were without Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox.

Here are the takeaways...

-Towns scored the Knicks' first nine points, making his first four shots as New York exploited the lack of rim protection with Wembanyama out for the season. However, the Knicks could not stop the Spurs from scoring. San Antonio made five of their first seven shots to take a 13-9 lead.

San Antonio kept pushing the pace and went out to a 16-1 run, which included 14 straight missed field goals when head coach Tom Thibodeau called a timeout. The Knicks could not buy a bucket and went big, bringing in Mitchell Robinson who contributed right away with two tip-ins. But overall, the first quarter was a nightmare for the Knicks who shot just 28 percent (8-29) to the Spurs' 44 percent.

Towns scored 13 points while Robinson (4), OG Anunoby (1) and Mikal Bridges (2) accounted for the other Knicks' points. Josh Hart didn't even attempt a shot. Veterans Harrison Barnes and Chris Paul each scored 10 points in the opening frame.

-The Knicks came out in the second quarter much better, cutting their deficit to just four points, but the Spurs used screens and dribble penetration to get any shot they wanted. This was coupled with the Knicks, once again, shooting poorly, especially from three.

With about six minutes remaining, the Knicks were down 22 and to make things worse, Towns appeared to injure his left thumb on a shot. After a timeout, Towns went to the back but was on the bench when the game restarted. The Spurs would increase their lead to 67-43 at halftime, ending one of the worst first halves of the season for the Knicks.

In the first half, New York shot 31 percent (16-51) including 4-for-21 from three. Miles McBride and Bridges were the only starters not named Towns to make a field goal in the first two quarters, and those two only made one field goal each. Hart was left scoreless after missing his only three shots attempted.

On the defensive end, the Spurs shot 51 percent from the field, 8-for-21 from three, in the first half.

-Whatever Thibodeau said to his team at halftime, must have lit a fire under the Knicks as their defensive intensity was better. New York's defense caused turnovers and bad shots to help them go on a 22-3 run to cut the Spurs' lead to 73-65 with 6:25 remaining in the third.

The Spurs would find their offense, capitalizing on Knicks turnovers and getting to the free-throw line to go out to a 10-0 run. The Knicks pushed back to go into the fourth quarter down 83-72.

-The Knicks eventually cut their deficit to eight points thanks to the lineup that included Towns and Robinson. But the combination of Sandro Mamukelashvili off the bench and putting Robinson on the foul line -- which slowed the Knicks offense and forced Thibodeau to bench his center -- helped San Antonio push back and they never looked back.

Mamukelashvili had a career night. He had a game-high 34 points off the bench, including 7-for-7 from three in 19:27 on the floor. The Seton Hall product also had nine rebounds, three assists and a steal.

Towns had a team-high 32 points while the other starters could not get 15 on this night. Anunoby (14), Hart (2), Bridges (14) and McBride (11) just could not match Towns' production. Robinson posted 13 points and came down with 11 rebounds in 17 minutes on the floor.

The difference in this game was the rebounds. Without a true center, the Spurs outrebounded the Knicks 52-44.

Highlights

What's next

The Knicks are right back at it on Thursday as they travel to Charlotte to take on the Hornets. Tip is set for 7 p.m.

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Johnson scores 20 as George Mason defeats Samford 86-69 in NIT

K.D. Johnson scored 20 points off of the bench, Zach Anderson had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and George Mason beat Samford 86-69 on Wednesday night in the NIT. Johnson added five assists and four steals for the Patriots (27-8). Darius Maddox shot 5 for 13, including 5 for 12 from beyond the arc to finish with 17 points.

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Pete Alonso smacks first spring training home run in Mets' 8-2 win over Astros

In an Opening Day preview, the Mets beat the Houston Astros, 8-2, with timely hitting and excellent pitching on Wednesday night.

Here are the takeaways...

-With the start of the regular season drawing near, manager Carlos Mendoza, in an away game, didn't hold any punches with his lineup that featured starters and likely starters and could potentially be New York's Game 1 lineup when these two teams meet in Houston next Thursday.

-Among the likely starters, with Jeff McNeil starting the season on the IL, is Brett Baty who batted eighth and played second base. The 25-year-old has been stellar with the bat this spring and continued to impress Wednesday night with a 2-for-3 performance, including a triple and a double, and added an RBI and run scored. He is now up to .333 with his batting average to go along with a 1.010 OPS.

In the field, Baty made all three plays his way, including a diving stop to his right on a sharply hit ball by Yordan Alvarez before firing from one knee to get the out at first. The former third baseman has looked shaky at times at second base, but he looked the part on Wednesday as he gets more comfortable with his super-utility role, which certainly makes him more valuable to the team.

-David Peterson made his fourth appearance and third start this spring and the lefty picked up right where he left off, going five scoreless innings. He now has a 0.57 ERA (0.89 WHIP) in 15.2 innings after having the best season of his career in 2024 (10-3, 2.90 ERA in 21 starts).

The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder allowed just two hits, walked three and struck out four on 75 pitches (42 strikes). Aside from Clay Holmes, Peterson has had the most impressive camp and figures to be a big weapon for New York again in 2025.

-Edwin Diaz entered the game in the sixth inning after Peterson and managed to get through the inning unscathed despite allowing two hits. Ryne Stanek looked great in his inning of work, striking out two, but it was A.J. Minter who had a rough outing. Making his third appearance of the spring, the left-hander allowed two runs on two hits, including a home run, and walked one. He also struck out two. They were the first runs allowed by Minter this spring.

Reed Garrett finished things off in the ninth and struck out the side.

-Scuffling a bit at the plate, Pete Alonso hit his first spring training home run this season in the sixth inning off former Met Miguel Castro who had just entered the game. The three-run bomb to left field got out in a hurry and broke the game open, making it 7-0. Alonso finished 1-for-4 with a walk.

Before that, the Mets' offense had scored four times thanks to shoddy play by Houston's defense. The first run came on a wild pitch in the third inning before a second run came around to score on Juan Soto's sacrifice fly, which was also an error by Jose Altuve in left field as the experiment of the former second baseman in the outfield continues to leave much to be desired.

New York scored another run in the fifth inning after Brandon Nimmo took advantage of a two-out error by third baseman Isaac Paredes, hitting an RBI double to score Mark Vientos.

-The Mets banged out 12 hits with Baty, Nimmo and Tyrone Taylor each getting two hits apiece.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets face the Washington Nationals on the road on Thursday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m.

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Carlos Carrasco stellar again, Yankees' bats silent in loss to Braves

Carlos Carrasco strengthened his case to make the Opening Day roster but the Yankees' bats were silent as they fell to the Braves, 4-0, in split-squad action.

Here are the takeaways...

-Carrasco put the finishing touches on what was a fantastic spring in Yankees camp. The non-roster invitee shut out the Braves for five innings, allowing just one walk while striking out three batters. He threw 54 pitches (33 strikes) and made it look easy against a Braves lineup that had most of their regulars.

Across 16 innings pitched, Carrasco has pitched to a 1.69 ERA and a 0.94 WHIP. The veteran right-hander has an opt-out on Saturday if he doesn't make the roster, but the Yankees, with their injuries, may not have a choice but to bring him on.

-After Carrasco left the game, the Yankees bullpen struggled especially Fernando Cruz. Cruz, who the Yankees obtained from the Reds in the Jose Trevino deal this offseason, started the sixth inning with a throwing error before allowing a two-run shot to Austin Riley. After a four-pitch walk to Matt Olson, and a mound visit, Cruz spiked a wild pitch before getting Bryan De La Cruz to strike out. But that would be it for Cruz who allowed two runs (one earned) across 0.1 innings (22 pitches/10 strikes).

Wednesday was not the best audition for Cruz who is looking to capture a spot in the bullpen. The hard-throwing right-hander has allowed at least one run in three of his last four appearances.

-Luke Weaver allowed a solo shot on the first pitch he threw in the eighth inning to Patrick Clohisy who jumped on the first-pitch cutter to put the Braves up 4-0.

Devin Williams dominated the ninth inning, getting the Braves in order, including two strikeouts on his patented Airbender changeup.

-Despite the stellar starting pitching, the Yankees bats just could not get to Braves starter Spencer Schwellenbach. The young right-hander allowed just two hits, walking one while striking out 10 batters across six innings.

-Austin Wells led off again on Wednesday, finishing 1-for-3 with a strikeout. It's looking more and more likely Wells will be the Yankees leadoff hitter on Opening Day.

Aaron Judge's tough spring continued as the reigning AL MVP went 0-for-2 with a strikeout and is hitting a paltry .120. Oswaldo Cabrera (0-3) and Trent Grisham (0-2, BB) were the other notable hitters who went hitless in this one.

What's next

The Yankees hit the road to take on the Baltimore Orioles. First pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.

Will Warren will take the mound in what could be his final audition for a roster spot.