Curveball Freddy

Beehiiv informed me Gmail doesn’t allow gifs that are more than 1MB. The problem is pretty much all gifs are over 1MB? If the gifs don’t show up, click the “read online” option. 

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Freddy Peralta recovered from a shaky first inning to dominate the Yankees as the Mets won the Subway Series matchup 10-4. 

The Mets ace got two quick outs to start the game, both fly outs to the left fielder A.J. Ewing. But then George Lombard Jr. hit a 96.7 mph triple off a hanging breaking ball that Ewing almost but didn’t quite catch. 

There was debate online over whether or not it was catchable. Statcast wasn’t entirely helpful answering this question. It said the ball had a 25 percent chance to be a hit, yet also claimed it would be a home run in 19 out of 30 ballparks. Thanks, technology.

Spencer Jones roped a single to left to give the Yankees an early 1-0 advantage. Jones stole second on Peralta, then scored on a Seth Brown bloop single to make it 2-0. Francisco Alvarez chatted with Peralta after he walked old chum Zack Short. The Alvy Magic continues to work because Duke Ellis innocently flew out to left to end the half inning. 

In the dugout afterwards, Peralta and Alvarez had a conversation. Peralta noticed the Yankees were sitting on his fastball early, so the battery agreed to throw more junk from now on. 

It worked. Braden Shewmake grounded out to second, then Ali Sánchez and Jasson Dominguez both struck out. In the top of the third, J.C. Escarra struck out swinging at a curve. George Lombard Jr. struck out swinging at a curve too. Finally, Spencer Jones hit a little nothing back to Peralta. Six up, six down. Peralta’s day was done at 45 pitches, but he did some extra work in the bullpen afterwards to get to 55. 

The Mets meanwhile went down 1-2-3 against the lefty Ryan Weathers in the first, and apparently made adjustments of their own for the second inning and beyond, which also worked to their advantage. Alvy started the bottom of the second with a hard-hit single to the opposite field. With one out, Tyrone Taylor walked on seven pitches, moving Alvy to second. Carson Benge recorded an infield hit on a ball that bounced off the second baseman, old chum Zack Short, that scored Alvarez and moved TT to second. I would have made a gif of it, but PIX11 had technical difficulties and didn’t bother to show a replay. Anyway, after a Vidal Bruján perambulation, A.J. Ewing smacked a two ribeye steak base knock to left to give the Mets a 3-2 lead. 

In the third, Bo Bichette reached on an error, then scored on a Brett Baty double to the left center field gap. Taylor brought Baty home with an RBI double of his own. Benge singled to left, moving Taylor to third. Bruján snuck a barrel by the shortstop to bring in Taylor. 6-2 New York (NL).

Carl Edwards Jr. came in to replace Peralta in the fourth, and the Yankees chipped away. Seth Brown singled to center and Short walked. After getting two outs, Edwards walked the #9 hitter to load the bases for Domínguez, who ripped a single to right to score two and make it 6-4 Mets. 

The Mets got a run back in the bottom half. Jorge Polanco was robbed of a home run by a leaping Spencer Jones in right, but Bichette walked and Alvarez hit another barrel to the opposite field. Hayden Merda walked Baty to load ‘em up. Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to score the pinch runner Jacob Reimer. 

Edwards came back out for the fifth, and just like Freddy Peralta shook off a shaky first inning by setting down six batters in a row. Edwards ended up throwing 49 pitches, so it’s safe to say he’s nice and stretched out. That and the fact he struck out five in two and two thirds innings might find him on the Opening Day roster.

The Mets tacked on in the bottom of the seventh. Cristian Pache singled with one out - he’s hitting .563 this spring. Jackson Cluff walked, then Christian Arroyo went the opposite way to bring in Pache. Ji-hwan Bae reached on an error that brought in Cluff. Jose Rojas hit an RBI ground out after that to make it 10-4 good buddies.

Jonathan Pintaro wasn’t too shabby in his outing. In two and one thirds shutout innings he allowed three hits, walked two but struck out three. He simply ran out of gas in the ninth when the Yankees got two weak hits. With the bases loaded and one out, Carlos Mendoza brought in the lefty Aaron Rozek. On one pitch, Rozek coaxed Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek to hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the fake ballgame. The Mets are now 9-5-1 this spring and 2-0 against the Yankees. 

Jacob Reimer had the hardest hit ball out of anyone on the Mets yesterday. His double in the bottom of the sixth had an exit velocity of 106.5 mph. 

Francisco Alvarez and Carson Benge - who started in center field -  both went 2 for 3. A.J. Ewing stole his third base of the spring. 

Neither Polanco nor Bichette were really tested at their respective new positions.

Benge after the game said the outfielders and Marcus Semien have been the most helpful to him in big league camp. As far as Sean Manaea is concerned, Benge said the pitcher keeps beating him at chess. 

Howie Rose tweeted during the game that he knows it’s a small sample size, but he’s excited about what A.J. Ewing can become.

Peralta said that he won a pregame basketball tournament in the Mets' clubhouse and one of his teammates will have to bring him a coffee.

Juan Soto hit a game-winning home run for the Dominican Republic against the Netherlands. Sort of. The dinger mercy ruled Holland. 

Old chum Rubén Tejada hit a 2 RBI single that gave Panama a 3-2 lead over Canada in the WBC. Yes, that Rubén Tejada.

Mendoza said they’re aiming for Luis Robert Jr. to get into an actual fake game on Thursday.

Robert Stock has been recommended for surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome. He could be back by the end of the year though.

Ron Howard was in the building for some reason.

Steve Gelbs and Keith Hernandez had the following exchange on yesterday’s broadcast:

"Well you can't do any beers anymore because of your sleep score."

"I always thought beers put you to sleep."

"Keith, it's about the quality of the sleep."

"I slept great. Two o'clock to 12 noon. I was out like a light."

On this day in 1963, Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz released “Meet the Mets” as the official theme song of the Mets.

Exactly 50 years later,  David Wright hit a go-ahead grand slam against Italy while representing the United States in the WBC. Wright happened to be at camp yesterday.

Tonight the Mets face the Miami Marlins at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie. LHP Brandon Waddell was supposed to start the game for New York (NL), but he is dealing with shoulder fatigue. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 pm eastern. The game will air on SNY.