Benge Homers, Peterson Sharp in Exhibition Win Over Israel

Carson Benge‘s first spring homer was an opposite-field blast off a lefty, David Peterson threw three scoreless innings and Ji Hwan Bae connected for a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth as the Mets defeated Israel 5-2 Wednesday in an exhibition at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie.

Benge, 23, is 4-for-13 in Grapefruit League play with a stolen base as he tries to win the starting job in right field. (While his homer won’t be part of the spring training stats, his showing could still make an impression on Carlos Mendoza and David Stearns.)

Peterson struck out four, gave up one hit and walked two while throwing 28 of 48 pitches for strikes. It was his first action since going 9-6 with a 4.22 ERA over 30 starts in 2025.

“I think we’re just trying to kind of work everything,” Peterson told reporters after his outing. “Work on some situations that we would in the games, some sequencing stuff and you know just trying to get all the pitches in.”

Christian Scott relieved Peterson and fanned five in 2 2/3 innings of scoreless, two-hit ball. Hoss Brewer recorded an out of the only batter he faced. Adbert Alzolay, attempting a return from injury, gave up a tying home run to Cardinals minor leaguer Zach Levenson in the seventh. Levenson hit 12 homers in 108 games between Double-A and High-A last year.

Nick Burdi gave up a go-ahead run in the eighth on a double to RJ Schreck, a 25-year-old outfielder in the Blue Jays organization who hit 18 home runs across four levels last season.

But Bae put the Mets ahead 3-2 with his hit and scored when Jacob Reimer singled him home for an insurance run. Yohairo Cuevas added an RBI single as well to make it a four-run rally. There was some bad news: most of the damage was done against Met prospect Jordan Geber.

Mets prospect Ben Simon started for Israel and fared better, throwing a scoreless inning. The Mets selected Simon in the 13th round of the 2023 draft out of Elon University in North Carolina and he struck out 60 in 54 1/3 innings combined at Double-A Binghamton and High-A Brooklyn last year while pitching to a 2.98 ERA.

Notes

• Benge’s homer was off Ryan Prager, a Guardians ninth-round draft pick in 2025;
• Ryan Clifford (1-for-3) doubled;
• Joey Gerber gave up a hit, a walk and recorded two outs in the ninth. Saul Garcia entered with the tying run at the plate and got a strikeout to earn the save;
• Leadoff hitter A.J. Ewing was 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout, Marcus Semien was 0-for-2 with a strikeout and Luis Torrens was 0-for-2.

Player of the Game

Benge hit 15 homers across three minor-league levels last season while slashing .281/.385/.472.

On Deck

The Mets resume Thursday with regular spring training games at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. New York will play the Nationals at 1:05 p.m. ET. Justin Hagenman (4.56 ERA in 23 2/3 innings pitched in 2025) gets the start.

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