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Mets manager Carlos Mendoza spoke to reporters prior to Saturday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals and addressed a number of different topics...

Confidence in Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña

Despite riding a five-game hitting streak, Brett Baty is on the bench Saturday and Luisangel Acuña is starting at second base. Mendoza talked about his decision with the Cardinals starting LHP Matthew Liberatore, making it clear both players understand they will have plenty of chances to play.

"I don't necessarily go and tell them why, by now they both know that they are both going to get opportunities," Mendoza said. "And it doesn't necessarily have to be against the lefties or the righties. I think I gave Acuñathe other day a couple of starts against right-handed pitching. And there'll be days with Baty, he'll stay in there with lefties, too.

"I think it just comes down to continuing to build the confidence for both of them. Not only Baty, who's playing really, really well. Acuña's been playing really, really well. Just continuing to communicate with those guys that they are good major league players. And now we're seeing that... I think everybody's different and you can manage a lot of different ways."

Over the last seven games, Baty is 8-for-25 (.320) with two doubles, one triple, two RBI, one walk, and one steal while Acuña is batting .368 (7-for-19) with four runs, two doubles, one RBI, three walks, and four steals.

Jeff McNeil getting close to return

Mendoza was asked if Jeff McNeil would be ready in time to play on Monday when the Mets begin a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies, and said they will wait and see. He's scheduled to play with Double-A Binghamton on Saturday and Sunday.

"We'll see," Mendoza said. "He's scheduled to play today and tomorrow, back-to-back. And we'll see where we're at after that."

McNeil played center field for the first time on Friday night during his rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie, logging six innings of action.

Of course, when McNeil does return, the Mets will need to make a roster decision. Mendoza gave a similar answer when asked if there's a scenario in which Baty and Acuña would both be able to stay with the team after McNeil returns.

"We'll see, we'll make that decision when we get there, we're still a few days away," Mendoza said. "The good thing is, if we are having this discussion, it's a good thing. That means Baty continues to play well, that means Acuña continues to play well and they're making that decision very tough on us. That's what we want. So hopefully that's the case in a few days from now where we got get in that room and make a difficult decision. They're both earning playing time and they're both proving they're big league players."

Plan for Francisco Alvarez

Catcher Francisco Alvarez, who's recovering from a broken hamate bone in his left hand,is nearing his return to the majors and will catch again on Saturday for Double-A Binghamton.

"Scheduled to catch nine innings today, maybe he'll DH tomorrow," Mendoza said. "As far as from the medical staff, he's going to be clear. It's now, 'Do you need more at-bats just to get your timing right? Or are you ready to come up and start playing big league games?'

"I think after he plays today, he caught nine innings last night, after he plays today, I think maybe DH tomorrow. And then after that, knock on wood, from a medical standpoint he's going to be clear."

Over six games with St. Lucie and Binghamton, Alvarez is 4-for-22 (.182) at the plate with one home run and three RBI.

Mendoza had said Thursday that Alvarez's return date will depend on if he needs more at-bats to feel ready for big league action, but he could return during the team's homestand. He also noted Luis Torrens will continue to see playing time

"They're both going to play," Mendoza said. " I got to take care of Alvy, too, I'm not going to run him into the ground. And Luis is playing well. That's a luxury to have, when you got two guys that you feel good about your chances, doesn't matter who's in the lineup. That's credit to Alvy and that's credit to Luis.

"I could see a scenario here where they both will play. Schedule will dictate a lot of that, where you're playing a lot of games in a row, day games, night games. All of that factors into the decision making, but I could see both of them playing."

José Azócar making season debut

With Jose Siri on the IL, Mendoza is giving José Azócar a chance in the starting lineup after he was added to the roster on Thursday.

"He's here and we're going to use him," Mendoza said. "It's something that I always put a lot of value, using the whole roster. Obviously giving TT (Tyrone Taylor) a day here, he's been playing a lot too and I got to protect him a little bit."

Mendoza likes what he's seen from Azócar, who hit .250 with one home run over 44 at-bats in spring training after playing the past three seasons with the San Diego Padres. He owns a .243 average with 21 RBI over 214 career major league games.

"Good ballplayer, he's a guy that can play defense, can play all three (outfield spots), can run the bases, and can give you good at-bats too," Mendoza said. "He's got some big league experience, brings a lot of energy. Yeah, I'm excited to have him here."

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani announces birth of his daughter with heartwarming post originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Congratulations are in order for Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, who gave birth to their daughter.

Ohtani made the aww-inducing announcement in an Instagram post on Saturday, sharing that he and his wife are now the proud parents of a baby girl. This marks the first child for Ohtani and Tanaka, who was a professional basketball player in their native Japan.

“I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy, beautiful daughter,” Ohtani wrote in his post. “To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents.”

The couple, who routinely guard their privacy, did not share their daughter’s name or a photo of the newborn, but did share an image of the couple holding their daughter’s tiny feet. Decoy, the pair’s beloved Kooikerhondje, made a cameo in the announcement with a small photo of the pooch on the corner of the post.

In addition to showering his family with his gratitude, Ohtani also expressed his thanks to the Dodgers and the medical staff that has been supporting the new parents.

The two-way athlete announced in December that his wife was expecting their first child. Ohtani did not specify when the baby was born.

On Friday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani was placed on MLB’s paternity list. Under the organization’s rules, Ohtani can miss up to three games during his paternity leave.

Phillies rip 18 hits, hang on for victory over Marlins originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies’ bats sure enjoyed an 80-degree April afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. 

The Phils piled up a season-high 18 hits Saturday and just about held on for an 11-10 win over the Marlins. Even many of their outs were loud. 

Taijuan Walker started for the Phillies. He didn’t have great command out of the gates but used his splitter well and escaped a first-and-third, no-out jam in the third inning. 

The Phillies had several near misses and hard-hit balls early against Miami’s Cal Quantrill, including J.T. Realmuto’s second-inning knock off the left field wall. 

They waited until the third to post a crooked number. Johan Rojas doubled to lead off the inning, darted to third base on Bryson Stott’s grounder to shortstop and cruised home on Trea Turner’s line-drive hit to left. 

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber’s walks loaded the bases for Nick Castellanos with one out. Harper’s walked seven times over the past five games. Castellanos produced a sac fly and Max Kepler delivered a two-RBI double to put the Phils up 4-0. 

Miami got a run back in the fourth inning, but the Phillies’ offense kept the pressure on and Quantrill couldn’t complete the fourth.

After a Bohm single, Rojas lay down a bunt. Quantrill fielded the ball and considered going to second base, but he decided against it and Rojas wound up sprinting through first without a throw. Stott ripped a double to right-center that scored Bohm, and Rojas was (successfully) hot on his heels. Turner followed with a double that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead. 

Both the bottom and top of the Phillies’ lineup were tremendous Saturday. Rojas and Stott picked up RBI hits in the fifth. Bohm recorded his first multi-hit game of April and Rojas notched his first three-hit game of the season. Stott was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Turner went 4 for 5 with two RBIs. 

Phillies manager Rob Thomson pulled Walker after just 56 pitches, turning to Matt Strahm for the fifth inning. Walker’s final line was four innings, one run, one hit, three walks and two strikeouts. 

Carlos Hernandez had a rough sixth inning and Jordan Romano seriously struggled in the ninth, conceding six runs. The game suddenly became tense and Jose Alvarado was needed for the final out.

He got it. Miami’s Xavier Edwards lined out to right field, cementing the Phillies’ third win in a row. They’re now 13-8 on the season.

Sunday’s series finale will start at 1:35 p.m. The pitching matchup is Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 2.31 ERA) vs. Connor Gillispie (0-2, 6.63 ERA). 

Castellanos gets a DH day 

Castellanos served as the Phillies’ designated hitter Saturday. Schwarber played left field and Kepler slid over to right. 

Thomson has been cautious with Castellanos since he exited the Phillies’ win Thursday over the Giants because of left hip flexor tightness.

“We’re just trying to keep him off his feet for a day, limit as much running as we can. … Schwarbs is happy he gets to play (the field),” Thomson said. 

Brandon Marsh remained out with a right knee injury. According to Thomson pregame, Marsh was feeling “a little bit better” and likely would’ve been available in an emergency scenario. 

Another step for Painter 

Andrew Painter made his second rehab start Friday night for Single A Clearwater, throwing three scoreless innings. Thomson was pleased with his outing. 

“The velocity was good, he threw strikes, the secondary pitches were good. … Forty-nine pitches. Three hits, four strikeouts, no walks. It’s good,” Thomson said. 

Painter is scheduled to start next Thursday in Clearwater. He’ll again be around 50 pitches. 

Thomson said he envisions Painter hitting “120, 130” innings this season between the minors and majors, but “we don’t really know the number.” 

Ranger Suarez is set to continue his rehab progression with a start next Tuesday for Triple A Lehigh Valley. 

Phillies rip 18 hits, hang on for victory over Marlins originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies’ bats sure enjoyed an 80-degree April afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. 

The Phils piled up a season-high 18 hits Saturday and just about held on for an 11-10 win over the Marlins. Even many of their outs were loud. 

Taijuan Walker started for the Phillies. He didn’t have great command out of the gates but used his splitter well and escaped a first-and-third, no-out jam in the third inning. 

The Phillies had several near misses and hard-hit balls early against Miami’s Cal Quantrill, including J.T. Realmuto’s second-inning knock off the left field wall. 

They waited until the third to post a crooked number. Johan Rojas doubled to lead off the inning, darted to third base on Bryson Stott’s grounder to shortstop and cruised home on Trea Turner’s line-drive hit to left. 

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber’s walks loaded the bases for Nick Castellanos with one out. Harper’s walked seven times over the past five games. Castellanos produced a sac fly and Max Kepler delivered a two-RBI double to put the Phils up 4-0. 

Miami got a run back in the fourth inning, but the Phillies’ offense kept the pressure on and Quantrill couldn’t complete the fourth.

After a Bohm single, Rojas lay down a bunt. Quantrill fielded the ball and considered going to second base, but he decided against it and Rojas wound up sprinting through first without a throw. Stott ripped a double to right-center that scored Bohm, and Rojas was (successfully) hot on his heels. Turner followed with a double that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead. 

Both the bottom and top of the Phillies’ lineup were tremendous Saturday. Rojas and Stott picked up RBI hits in the fifth. Bohm recorded his first multi-hit game of April and Rojas notched his first three-hit game of the season. Stott was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Turner went 4 for 5 with two RBIs. 

Phillies manager Rob Thomson pulled Walker after just 56 pitches, turning to Matt Strahm for the fifth inning. Walker’s final line was four innings, one run, one hit, three walks and two strikeouts. 

He dealt with shoulder stiffness throughout the day.

“Just couldn’t really get extended too much on the glove side, especially in that fourth inning with my cutter and four-seamer into the lefties,” Walker said. “Couldn’t really get it there all the way. And we had that other long inning the next one.

“It kind of sucks because I feel like I was in a pretty good groove, getting a lot of ground balls. My splitter was working really well today. It just sucks having the bullpen have to cover for me.”

Walker’s slated to start next Friday against the Cubs and expected he’d be ready to pitch.

Carlos Hernandez had a rough sixth inning and Jordan Romano seriously struggled in the ninth, conceding six runs. The game suddenly became tense and Jose Alvarado was needed for the final out.

“I felt great out there, actually,” Romano said. “That’s the best my arm has felt in a long time. … I felt confident, honestly, in all my pitches. I don’t know. They were seeing it really well today. Everything I threw in there, it felt like they were pretty comfortable with it and obviously putting pretty good swings on it.

“But again, not exactly sure. Obviously, when I’m up in the count, need to make better pitches — 1-2, 0-2. But I still felt great out there, just got crushed.”

Romano said he’d review the video and look into whether he was tipping his pitches.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in him,” Thomson said. “He’s got a great track record. As long as the stuff is good, you’ve got to believe in him.”

Alvarado ultimately sealed the deal. Miami’s Xavier Edwards lined out to right field, cementing the Phillies’ third win in a row. They’re now 13-8 on the season.

Sunday’s series finale will start at 1:35 p.m. The pitching matchup is Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 2.31 ERA) vs. Connor Gillispie (0-2, 6.63 ERA). 

Castellanos gets a DH day 

Castellanos served as the Phillies’ designated hitter Saturday. Schwarber played left field and Kepler slid over to right. 

Thomson has been cautious with Castellanos since he exited the Phillies’ win Thursday over the Giants because of left hip flexor tightness.

“We’re just trying to keep him off his feet for a day, limit as much running as we can. … Schwarbs is happy he gets to play (the field),” Thomson said. 

Brandon Marsh remained out with a right knee injury. According to Thomson pregame, Marsh was feeling “a little bit better” and likely would’ve been available in an emergency scenario. 

Another step for Painter 

Andrew Painter made his second rehab start Friday night for Single A Clearwater, throwing three scoreless innings. Thomson was pleased with his outing. 

“The velocity was good, he threw strikes, the secondary pitches were good. … Forty-nine pitches. Three hits, four strikeouts, no walks. It’s good,” Thomson said. 

Painter is scheduled to start next Thursday in Clearwater. He’ll again be around 50 pitches. 

Thomson said he envisions Painter hitting “120, 130” innings this season between the minors and majors, but “we don’t really know the number.” 

Ranger Suarez is set to continue his rehab progression with a start next Tuesday for Triple A Lehigh Valley. He was in Philadelphia on Saturday for a bullpen session.