Canning Dominates, Blackburn Fares Well in Split-Squad Action
The Mets played two games Monday afternoon in some split-squad action. At home, the Mets took on the Rays in a pitching matchup between Griffin Canning and former Mets prospect Mike Vasil. On the road in Jupiter, the Mets faced the Marlins with Paul Blackburn and Ryan Weathers going at it.
There was very little offense in both games, especially in Port St. Lucie, where the Mets fell 2-0 to the Rays. In Jupiter, however, a low-scoring affair turned into a somewhat high-scoring game as the Mets turned a 2-1 eighth-inning deficit into a lead, eventually defeating the Marlins 6-5.
The Mets got a good look at both Canning and Blackburn, who, along with Tylor Megill, are battling for one of the final two spots in the rotation. Canning looked fantastic against the Rays, striking out nine batters in 4 2/3 innings. He got 13 whiffs on 71 pitches (45 strikes). In total, he allowed a run, his first this spring, on three hits and a walk in addition to his nine punchouts.
Meanwhile, Blackburn looked solid against Miami, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks with six strikeouts in four innings. While he hasn’t been bad, Blackburn hasn’t had the same success that Canning has had this spring, which might put him behind in the race for a rotation spot.
While the Mets are certainly excited that their pitchers, especially Canning, looked good, they faced an injury scareinvolving Jesse Winker, who came out of the home game after an awkward at-bat in the first inning. Facing a 3-0 count, Winker took a vicious hack but appeared to stumble as he popped the ball up to third base. He limped to first and appeared to grab his knee before jogging off the field and walking into the clubhouse. Following the game, Carlos Mendoza said that Winker cramped up and “he should be okay.”
Meanwhile, in Jupiter, Luisangel Acuña fared well, going 2-for-3 with a walk. Justin Hagenman also shined, throwing four scoreless innings of relief before finding trouble in the ninth. Hagenman’s steadiness and length, though, allowed the Mets to remain in the game, which they trailed 2-1 since the third inning.
An eighth-inning rally with an RBI double from Nick Roselli, an infield RBI single from William Lugo and an RBI single from Tyrone Taylor put the Mets over the Marlins for good. Alexander Canario mashed an opposite-field two-run homer in the ninth for some added insurance to put the Mets up 6-2. Canario had a good day at the plate, finishing 1-for-1 with his two-run homer and three walks.
Hagenman stayed on for a fifth inning of work but couldn’t retire each of the first three batters in the ninth. The Marlins tacked on three runs before recording an out, making it a 6-5 game, but Trey McLoughlin delivered a gutsy performance and sealed the deal for a Mets victory. The home Mets were unable to rally in similar fashion to the road Mets, failing to put up a run and falling 2-0.
Player of the Game: Griffin Canning
Griffin Canning has had a brilliant spring so far, and he’s now up to one run allowed in 10 innings. He’s allowed just six hits, three walks, and has 16 strikeouts. The former Angel is pitching like he wants to be part of the rotation, and the Mets may have no choice but to include him if he continues to look dominant.
On Deck
The Mets are off Tuesday before resuming spring training play on Wednesday at 6:05 p.m. ET against the Astros. The game will take place at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches in West Palm Beach and can be listened to through Astros radio (KBME 790 AM) in the MLB.TV app.
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