Alvarez, Manaea Show Positive Signs in Mets’ Loss to Marlins
The Francisco Alvarez and Sean Manaea-led New York Mets (5-5-1) fell to the Miami Marlins (6-6) tonight in a low-scoring game in Jupiter.
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
After the Mets went down in order in the top of the first inning, Manaea took the mound for his Grapefruit League debut. After retiring the first two batters, he allowed a solo home run to Connor Norby on a sweeper before getting out of the inning trailing 1-0.
In the top of the second, A.J. Ewing blooped a two-out single to left field before stealing second base, his second of spring training. The Mets stranded him at second base.
Manaea completed three solid innings, allowing just the single run on one hit, a walk, and a strikeout. His velocity followed a similar trend from 2025, maxing out his fastball at 89.8 mph and his changeup at 86 mph. However, Manaea also mixed in a few sinkers, last seen by the southpaw in 2024, which maxed out at 88.8 mph, and two versions of his sweeper, one at 85.6 mph and the other at 74.6 mph.
In the top of the fourth, Alvarez ripped a 105 mph leadoff double to center that just missed being his first home run of the spring. Despite the early offense, the next three Mets were retired in order. Craig Kimbrel replaced Manaea in the bottom of the inning, and after allowing a leadoff walk, struck out two and retired the side, keeping the score 1-0 Marlins.
Devin Williams replaced Kimbrel in the bottom of the fifth. Despite allowing a two-out walk, he retired the side without allowing a run and recorded a strikeout.
Marcus Semien began the top of the sixth with a soft single to center field. After Carson Benge advanced the runner with a groundout, Alvarez lined a 96.6 mph single to left field that put runners on the corners. After Ryan Clifford advanced Alvarez to make it second and third with two outs, Tyrone Taylor stranded two when he struck out looking to end the potential rally.
Bryan Hudson came in to pitch in the bottom half of the inning and allowed a home run to Heriberto Hernández that extended the Marlins’ lead to 2-0. After allowing a walk and strikeout, Douglas Orellana came in and allowed a walk, before recording a groundout on the next pitch to end the inning.
The rest of the contest was a bit of a wash from a Mets perspective. Joe Jacques came in to pitch in the bottom of the seventh and set the Marlins down in order. In the eighth, Benge singled to left field, but the Mets once again failed to score. Ryan Lambert entered in the bottom of the inning and retired the side with two strikeouts, while reaching 99.3 mph twice on his fastball.
The Mets went down one-two-three in the ninth, and fell to the Marlins 2-0.
Player of the Game
Alvarez displayed some of the hitting prowess he showed during the second half of last season tonight in the Mets’ loss. The catcher went 2-for-3 with a single and a double. Both of Alvarez’ hits were balls batted over 95 mph.
On Deck
Kodai Senga will take the mound for the Mets as they take on Kyle Leahy and the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, March 7 at 1:05pm in Jupiter, FL. The game will stream live on Matrix Midwest, Cardinals.TV.
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