Ah, spring training. The time of year when hope springs eternal, arms are fresh, and we all pretend to care about pitch usage like it’s the key to solving world hunger. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza held his fourth press availability of spring training camp today, and while it didn’t feature any major bombshells, there were still plenty of interesting tidbits to chew on.
Mendoza opened things up with an update on Jett Williams, who had a bit of a scare.Willams got hit somewhere in the hand area during live Bp against Blade Tidwell (specificity was not on today’s menu), but the Mets seem to have dodged a bullet. “He's going to be sore, but he should be all right,” Mendoza said. I don’t know about you, but I’ve heard “sore but all right” turn into a six-week IL stint more times than I can count. But hey, optimism is the currency of spring training, so we’ll roll with it.
One of the standout performances today came from Tylor Megill, whose velocity was humming at 96 mph. Mendoza was pleased with his performance, particularly his curveball, which he’s been working on this offseason. “I like the movement on it and the way he was able to control it,” Mendoza said. The phrase “simplify things” was thrown around, which usually means “stop trying to throw 17 different pitches and just stick to what works.” The good news? The stuff is there. The bad news? It’s always about consistency, and we’ve heard that song before.
Speaking of Tylor, Mendoza acknowledged that this is his fourth straight camp where he enters without a guaranteed spot. But rather than sulk, Megill embraces the challenge. “He’s competing,” Mendoza said. “That’s what we told him. Make sure you get ready.” Translation: “We don’t know what we’re doing with him yet, but he’ll get his innings.”
Griffin Canning got in some work, and Mendoza liked what he saw. “We know his ability to throw strikes,” Mendoza noted. The team is tinkering with his pitch mix, trying to optimize his arsenal. They want him leaning more on his slider and less on his four-seamer. Pitching coaches love to tinker this time of year, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to execution.
The battle for the final rotation spot remains, in Mendoza’s words, “fluid.” That’s manager-speak for “we have no idea yet.” With a six-man rotation on the table, the team is still discussing whether the extra starter will bounce between the bullpen and rotation or stay stretched out in the minors. Mendoza did acknowledge that early off days give the Mets some flexibility before they hit a 13-game stretch in April. So expect some roster gymnastics before things settle.
For pitchers like Tylor Megill, Mendoza was asked what needs to change to maintain consistency. The answer? Attacking hitters, staying ahead in counts, and limiting damage. “It seems like it’s always that one inning that kind of gets away from him,” Mendoza said. If I had a nickel for every time I heard that about a Mets pitcher, I could probably buy Citi Field. Mendoza and his staff are focusing on pitch usage—when to go for a ground ball, when to chase a strikeout, and when to just avoid the meat of the plate entirely. Sounds great in theory, but execution is always the great separator.
On the position player side, more veterans are filtering in, and Mendoza admitted it’s starting to feel more like a real camp. Jeff McNeil has arrived, and Starling Marte and Tyrone Taylor are also in the mix. Mendoza noted that he’s eager to get the full squad together and start playing games already. “Players first,” he joked. “We need players.”
It’s a great reminder that while we get wrapped up in the minute details of bullpen roles and roster spots, sometimes you just need some actual baseball to break up the monotony of drills and media sessions.
Opening Day is still weeks away, but the Mets are deep into the process of shaping the roster. Mendoza remains upbeat, and while we won’t know if this optimism is justified until the games count, at least for now, everything is “fluid”—which, as any long-time Mets fan knows, is both exciting and terrifying.
Here is the complete press conference :
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