3 Up, 3 Down: Spring Training Recap

Editor’s Note: This article was written before the Mets officially announced Carson Benge made the Opening Day roster.

We are back! Three up, three down returns for the 2026 New York Mets season.

As we’ve done for several seasons now, we’ll be taking a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly after every series throughout the year.

With Opening Day this Thursday, excitement is very much in the air as we gear up for another year of Mets baseball.

However, before we look too far ahead, let’s take a step back and reflect on spring training and the Grapefruit League schedule.

Let’s kick off the 2026 edition of 3 Up, 3 Down with a camp recap …

3 UP

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 

At the time of writing, the Mets still haven’t officially announced that Carson Benge has made the Opening Day roster. Why the delay is a good question. However, public announcements aside, it would be a shock at this point if Benge isn’t in the lineup to face the Pirates on Thursday. The prospect entered camp with every chance to make the team, and he did everything asked of him to do exactly that. Benge hit .366/.435/.439/.874 with 15 hits and five RBIs. Furthermore, he showed impressive discipline at the plate, while flashing a plus-plus arm out in the field. All in all, Benge more than looked the part and improved week by week. Even if Mike Tauchman didn’t get hurt, Benge did more than enough to win the right field job.

RESURGENCE LOADING 

The Mets were sunk in 2025 because their starting pitching played party pooper. And Kodai Senga, continuing his downward trend, played a big part in those problems. Therefore, there were a lot of question marks surrounding the righty heading into spring training. And, while you have to take everything that happens in camp with a healthy dose of skepticism, Senga has proven a few doubters wrong over the past few weeks. He was stellar across three Grapefruit League starts, pitching to a 1.86 ERA with 11 strikeouts and just two earned runs allowed over 9.2 innings. Granted, there is still a lot to prove, and Senga needs to both stay healthy and pitch at a high level over the course of a full season. But, still, there was a lot to like, including his pitch arsenal.

If the Mets can get the spring training version of Senga throughout 2026, then the starting pitching should be in great shape.

PITCHING DEPTH

One of the biggest positives to emerge from camp was the pitching depth the Mets now have in the organization. Christian Scott, coming off Tommy John surgery, showed flashes of his upside. He could certainly contribute in the big leagues at some point in 2026. Jack Wenninger pitched to a 2.70 ERA while striking out 10 over 6.2 innings. Will Watson and Jonathan Santucci also pitched well. All showed a lot of upside, and Scott and Wenninger in particular are names to watch in 2026. All of a sudden, the pitching depth looks incredibly strong, and that’s something to be uber-positive about.

3 DOWN

TRENDING DOWNWARDS

Are we in full-blown panic mode over Sean Manaea yet? After regressing in 2025, this year’s camp was an important one for the starter. However, rather than settle any lingering concerns, Manaea instead added fuel to the fire thanks to his diminishing velocity. There were some other concerning metrics, too, while he was out-pitched by everyone else in the rotation. As a result, the 34-year-old will now start the season out of the bullpen and in a piggyback role. Of course, Manaea was still working his way back this spring. He had loose bodies in his elbow, which likely impacted a few things. There is also still time to correct the worrying drop in velocity. If he can do that, then that will only further strengthen the rotation. However, if Manaea can’t correct the drop in velocity, and if it continues to diminish, then another conversation may be needed at some point.

LATE INJURY BLOW

Arguably, the biggest roster battle in camp from day one was the fight for the right field job. There was a slew of players all competing for that one spot, with Carson Benge and Mike Tauchman emerging as the leaders in the clubhouse. Before the weekend, it looked all but certain that Tauchman would be on the Opening Day roster in some capacity.

However, the veteran left Saturday’s game with left knee soreness and will now require surgery on a torn meniscus. That’s somewhat of a blow for the Mets, given the value Tauchman brought to the table. He could have been a mentor for Benge, while he showed all spring what he can do at the plate. Furthermore, Tauchman offers more offensive upside than Vidal Brujan, who could now make the Opening Day roster. We will see if Tauchman can win a roster spot once he returns from injury.

END OF THE ROAD?

It doesn’t seem like a stretch to suggest that things really aren’t looking good for Mark Vientos. The third baseman struggled offensively in 2025, and those struggles carried over to camp. He hit just .057/.108/.171/.280 with little to no production. It is also perhaps fair to question Vientos’ decision to play in the World Baseball Classic. After all, he’s been asked to take reps at first base for the Mets, yet he mostly played third for Team Nicaragua in the WBC. Given the uncertainty surrounding first base, it would have been preferable for Vientos to remain in camp and really dedicate himself to learning a new position. In any case, none of that may end up mattering. If a disappointing spring translates to a slow start, then maybe there won’t be much of a role for Vientos in Queens going forward.

The post 3 Up, 3 Down: Spring Training Recap appeared first on Metsmerized Online.