Venezuelan skippers for Mets and Astros spring into history
PORT ST. LUCIE — Spring-training games typically don’t produce many historic milestones. Still, when the Mets and the Astros took the field for their second Grapefruit League game of the 2024 spring season on Sunday, the two teams did make history.
According to El Extrabase, this game marked the first time two Venezuelan managers have faced one another in a spring-training game. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza faced Astros’ bench coach Omar Lopez, who was managing the team’s B-squad while Joe Espada remained in West Palm with the A-team. The Mets also had a Venezuelan battery starting the game with Jose Butto pitching to Francisco Alvarez.
“It was pretty cool, especially with the relationship that I’ve got with Omar,” Mendoza said. “I had the opportunity to work with him in the WBC and I’ve managed against him a lot in winter ball, so we know each other pretty well. The fact that it’s a spring-training game, it still means a lot to all of us. It’s an honor and a privilege and it was really good to see it.”
The Venezuelan contingent of the Mets did not disappoint.
Butto pitched two scoreless innings and Alvarez delivered the highlight of the game with a two-run homer off right-hander A.J. Blubaugh to put the Mets up, 3-1, in the fifth. The lead would hold for the win, the Mets’ first this spring.
“I feel very proud,” Alvarez said.
With Kodai Senga projected to be out of action to start the season, the Mets are looking for another starter. Butto is a candidate to fill the rotation vacancy, having turned some eyes with a solid September showing last year. The right-hander went 1-2 with a 3.29 ERA in five starts.
It’s a small sample size, but the Mets were encouraged.
For Butto, seven starts with the big-league team last year (nine appearances overall) helped him get more comfortable. He came to camp with another weapon, a sinker that got swings and misses from right-handed hitters Sunday.
“Last year and throwing it, was the first time,” Butto said. “But now I feel more comfortable. Today, we used it more against righties.”
The Mets have to figure out what they have in Butto. The 25-year-old has one minor-league option year remaining, so even if he doesn’t make the team out of camp, he’ll get a major-league call-up when the team needs another arm. At the moment, the Mets are stretching him out to start, but they have used him as a reliever.
Butto is happy to pitch in any inning, eager to stick in the big leagues any way he can. Mendoza stressed the need for bullpen arms who can throw multiple innings, so there may be a way forward for Butto as a swingman.
“Last year with (pitching coach) Jeremy Hefner, I said, “You can put me in the bullpen for one inning, three innings or four. It doesn’t matter which one, I’m going to be ready,’” Butto said. “Just give me the ball and I will be ready for any situation.”
The Mets also got scoreless innings from three bullpen hopefuls, Austin Adams, Yohan Ramirez and Cole Sulser.
LINDOR GIVES BACK
Francisco Lindor hosted a clinic at Clover Field for 50 kids from local Little League programs and the Boys and Girls Club. Lindor, as well as other coaches and staff members from the Mets, taught fundamentals and discussed leadership and sportsmanship. Participants were also given tickets to the game against the Astros.
The shortstop, who has two daughters of his own, Kalina and Amapola, has prioritized giving back to kids in Florida and New York through various programs with his wife, Katia.
ROSTER MOVE
The Mets claimed left-hander Kolton Ingram off waivers from the Tigers on Sunday. Lefthander David Peterson was placed on the 60-day injured list to clear space on the 40man roster. Ingram made five major-league relief appearances for the Angels last season, and went 3-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 34 appearances between Double-A and Triple-A.