Spring Training Game Chat: Cardinals vs. Mets, 1:10 PM

Friday, March 20, 2026 • 1:10 PM
Clover Park • Port St. Lucie, FL
RHP Andre Pallante (0-0, 2.57) vs. RHP Tobias Myers (1-1, 1.86)
SNY • MLBN

The New York Mets play the St. Louis Cardinals for the sixth and final time in spring training this afternoon, but it’s not the last time the two teams will face off in March! The Mets will open the regular season with a three-game set at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 26 and then head to St. Louis for a three-game series. With so few teams playing on the east coast of Florida, and three of those teams being in the NL East, it feels like more often than not the Mets play an early-season series against a team they spent the whole spring playing.

The Mets have made a few roster moves before each game this week. Before yesterday’s game, they optioned Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A Syracuse, which clarified a few scenarios. Mauricio was slated to be the starting shortstop if Francisco Lindor wasn’t ready. It was also difficult to see how the Mets would carry Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Mauricio on the same roster as Bo Bichette and Marcus Semien.

Also, your eyes are not deceiving you; Bichette is getting a start at shortstop today. He hasn’t played any innings at the position yet this spring, but he has plenty of experience there throughout his career.

Mets Lineup

1. Carson Benge – RF
2. Tyrone Taylor – CF
3. Bo Bichette – SS
4. Mark Vientos – DH
5. Mike Tauchman – LF
6. Vidal Bruján – 2B
7. Jared Young – 1B
8. Hayden Senger – C
9. Antonio Jimenez – 3B

Starting Pitcher: Tobias Myers

Opposing Lineup

1. JJ Wetherholt – DH
2. Ramón Urías – 2B
3. Iván Herrera – C
4. Jordan Walker – RF
5. Thomas Saggese – CF
6. Yohel Pozo – 1B
7. José Fermín – 3B
8. Nathan Church – LF
9. Brody Moore – SS

Starting Pitcher: Andre Pallante

Game Notes

• Per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, manager Carlos Mendoza stated that Francisco Alvarez feels better today after being pulled in last night’s game as a precautionary measure for back tightness. If no more issues pop up, he will be in the lineup on Saturday.
• The Mets optioned right-handed reliever Austin Warren today, strengthening southpaw Bryan Hudson‘s case to make the Opening Day roster.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Tobias Myers. Myers was included in the Freddy Peralta trade and is more than just a throw-in pitcher. Myers has the ability to start, spot-start, long-relief, be the bulk guy, etc. In four games so far this spring, he has pitched 9 2/3 innings allowing only two runs while scattering seven hits and four walks. He has 12 strikeouts over this time! Myers could be the X-factor for the Mets this season both in the ways he saves the bullpen’s workload when a starter falls short and his ability to pitch in high-leverage situations.
2. ABS Challenge Update. The Mets have been so bad this spring at balls and strikes challenges. Teams this spring have been successful 52% of the time. When the Mets are batting, they have been successful only 28% of the time. They’ve been a bit better when fielding, winning 38% of the time. If you rank every team by raw overturn numbers, the Mets are dead last.
3. Catching Depth. The Mets saw their catching depth tested on Thursday with Alvarez leaving the game early for back tightness (precautionary!). Luis Torrens is a great backup catcher, but he can’t catch all 162. On the 40-man roster, the Mets have Hayden Senger, who struggled offensively in 2025, but knows the Mets pitchers and is fine for a short stint if needed. The Mets also brought in Ben Rortvedt this spring. Rortvedt made his major league debut in 2021 with the Twins. In 2024 with the Rays, he got into 112 games and had 0.9 bWAR while slashing .228/.317/.303.

Let’s go Mets!

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