Myers Notches Four Strikeouts in 3-2 Loss to Nats

The New York Mets continued their Grapefruit League season on Saturday afternoon against the Washington Nationals, with just a few days before the World Baseball Classic. Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals saw the spring debut of Freddy Peralta, and he pitched well in his first unofficial start as a Met. The second piece of that trade took the mound for New York on Saturday, Tobias Myers, as New York fell to the Nationals 3-2. Myers looks to play a key role on the 2026 Mets team as a long man out of the bullpen and spot starter who can pitch a few innings.

Tobias Myers Has Strong Start

It was the second game of spring training action for Myers as he enters his first year as a Met. He pitched out of the bullpen against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday. He struck out three while allowing three hits in 2 1/3 innings. Myers would start the game against the Nationals, and he was solid by striking out four batters in three innings of work.

Myers struck out Nationals’ leadoff hitter Nasim Nuñez swinging to begin the game on his splitter. He utilized his splitter and slider with all four of his strikeouts, and each of them was swinging. Myers ran into trouble in the top of the third inning after a single by Seaver King and a double by Nuñez. An RBI groundout by James Wood would bring the game’s first run. Myers would get out of the jam and end his afternoon with a strikeout of Daylen Lile.

Craig Kimbrel Struggles in Debut

After all of his years with the Atlanta Braves, it’s still a weird sight to see Craig Kimbrel in a New York Mets uniform. After signing a minor league deal with the Mets and hoping to get another opportunity with a team, the 38-year-old Kimbrel came out of the bullpen for his first spring game in the blue and orange. As has been the case for Kimbrel over the last few years of his Hall of Fame career, Kimbrel struggled with his command and velocity on Saturday.

Kimbrel allowed a leadoff double to House to begin the top of the fourth inning. After a groundout by Robbert Hassell III to advance House to third, Andrés Chaparro drove him in with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0 Washington. Kimbrel followed that up by walking Harry Ford and Riley Adams on a fastball and knuckle-curveball that missed away. He would get King to pop out to close the inning. Overall, Kimbrell allowed one run, two hits, and two walks. He topped out at 93 mph.

Mark Vientos Gets First Hit of the Spring

One of the players who has a microscope on him coming into Port St. Lucie was Mark Vientos after a struggling 2025 season that followed a great 2024. Vientos was hitless so far, but on Saturday, he had his best at-bats and swings of spring training. While Vientos grounded into a double play in his first at-bat, his exit velocity was 104.7 mph. Vientos hit another hard hit out at 105.7 mph to deep center field, but it was caught by Hassell III. Vientos finally caught a break in his third at-bat when he smoked a ball 102.9 mph that just grazed the glove of Jack Rogers to land for an RBI double to put the Mets on the board.

Mets Game Notes

Brett Baty saw his first game of the spring, and at first base since his high school days. At the plate, Baty went 0-for-2 with his first at-bat being a hard lineout to right field, and he did a good job defensively at first base. Baty looks to play multiple positions this season.

Nick Morabito notched an RBI double to the opposite field in the bottom of the eight to give the Mets their second run of the day.

In the competition for the starting right field spot, Mike Tauchman got the Mets first hit of the day with a double in the bottom of the third inning and he made a nice sliding catch in the top of the fifth inning.

On Deck:

The Mets will play host to the Houston Astros on Sunday at 1:00 pm EDT, as Clay Holmes will make the start for New York against Jason Alexander. The game will be televised locally on SNY.

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