Mets manager Carlos Mendoza spoke ahead of Saturday’s spring training game.
Here are the most important notes…
Kodai Senga to throw one inning and live BP
After throwing three innings during a live BP session on Wednesday, Senga is gearing up for his first spring training start next week. Mendoza was asked if the right-hander will pitch during his next turn in the rotation and outlined the team’s plan for him.
“He’s going to pitch in games. You’ll probably see him for one inning and then we’ll send him back for a live BP. He’s going to get three ups,” Mendoza said. “We want it more in a controlled environment.
“But he wants to be in the game, so that’s a really good sign. We kind of settled on, ‘We’ll give you an inning on the main field, but then you’ll go back,’ so that’s probably what we’ll do here.”
Senga pitched in just one regular season game last year due to a right shoulder capsule strain and a calf strain. He returned during the postseason and pitched in three games for New York, but was not at his best.
He has been progressing as planned this spring, and like Mendoza said, it’s a “really good sign” that the 32-year-old wants to get back on the mound.
Luisangel Acuña playing all over infield
Mendoza was asked how he plans to utilize Acuña defensively, as the 22-year-old has shown the ability to play multiple positions.
“He played third base for a couple of innings the other day,” Mendoza said. “The plan will be he’s going to play short, he’s going to play second, and he’ll get some action at third base.
“We’re going to keep him in the infield. No outfield for now, even though last year he played some center. For the purpose of camp, we want to see him as much as possible in the dirt.”
With infielder Nick Madrigal likely to miss entire 2025 season after getting shoulder surgery, Acuña is a candidate to earn an Opening Day roster spot.
He was called up toward the end of the 2024 season and played in 14 games, posting a .308 batting average over 39 at-bats with three home runs, two doubles, a triple, and six RBI.
Brett Baty “doing a lot of good things”
Baty has been on a tear over the Mets’ first four spring training games, hitting .545 over 11 at-bats with two home runs, a double, and three RBI.
While acknowledging that it’s just exhibition games, Mendoza has been impressed with the 25-year-old’s performance so far.
“Yes, it’s different, but when it comes down to when you’re watching a hitter in the batter’s box, how is he taking pitches? Is he right on pitches? Is he missing those? Right now, he’s putting the barrel on a lot of them,” Mendoza said.
“Not only is he putting barrel, he’s using the whole field. So whether it’s taking a single with two strikes, when he’s ahead in counts, is he driving the baseball? He’s doing a lot of good things right now.
“Yes there’s differences, because the way they pitch to you in spring training is completely different… But you still got to hit it, you still got to get a good pitch, and you still have to put a good swing on it. It’s good to see Brett get good results early in camp.”
Like Acuña, Baty is a candidate to earn an Opening Day spot and is helping his case by hitting like he has so far in spring training.
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