Mets In The News Today
- The Mets lost 7-4 to the Nationals on Thursday, March 5. Brett Baty provided an early jolt with a two-run homer, his first hit of the spring, while also making his outfield debut.
- Nolan McLean is trending back in the right direction after vertigo-like symptoms delayed his trip to Team USA camp. He threw in a Minor League scrimmage and was set to meet with the Mets’ medical staff before heading to Houston.
- Francisco Lindor remains on the injury watch, but there was progress this week. MLB’s injury roundup noted he played catch on March 3 for the first time since hamate surgery as he works toward Opening Day.
- The Mets’ Spring Breakout player pool is out, with Ryan Clifford, Jacob Reimer, Elian Peña and several of the system’s better young names headlining the group. That matters because this farm is starting to look like it has actual pulse again, not just PowerPoint optimism.
- MLB Trade Rumors reported there have not yet been serious extension talks between the Mets and Freddy Peralta. Translation: nice problem to have, but still a problem if he shoves and the price tag starts doing steroids.
Mets Box Score (Last Game)
Spring Training • Thursday, March 5, 2026 • CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches
New York Mets
4
Washington Nationals
7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYM | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| WSH | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | 7 | 12 | 0 |
Top Mets Hitters
- Bo Bichette: 2-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI
- Brett Baty: 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 1 R
- Mike Tauchman: 1-for-1, 1 R, 1 BB
Top Mets Pitchers
- Justin Hagenman: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 4 K
- Tyler Witt: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K
- Oliver Gómez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K
Key Moments
- 1st inning: Bo Bichette singled home Mike Tauchman to open the scoring.
- 1st inning: Brett Baty crushed a two-run homer to left-center to put the Mets up 3-0.
- 2nd inning: José Tena answered with a two-run homer for Washington.
- 4th inning: Brady House? No. The tying run came home on a Darren Baker? Also no. The official scoring summary shows Franklin singled home Tena to make it 3-3.
- 6th inning: Washington broke it open with four runs, highlighted by a two-run Lipscomb double.
- 7th inning: The Mets scratched one back on a bases-loaded walk to Jared Rojas, but that was it.
A Trip Around Major League Baseball
- Shohei Ohtani opened Japan’s World Baseball Classic run by helping power a 13-0 win over Chinese Taipei, including a grand slam in a historic 10-run inning. Baseball really does have a flair for making normal people look unemployed.
- Team USA faces Brazil tonight in the countries’ first-ever World Baseball Classic matchup, giving the tournament a legit prime-time stage before MLB Opening Day arrives on March 26.
- Around spring training, one of the biggest injury notes is that Blake Snell is likely to begin the 2026 season on the injured list. That is the kind of March headline that can quietly wreck a contender’s pretty little forecast.
- Andrew McCutchen agreed to a minor league deal with the Rangers, adding another veteran name to a club that apparently looked at spring depth and said, “needs more mileage.”
NL East News & Notes
- Braves: Atlanta beat Toronto 9-5 on Thursday, and the bigger camp note was Chipper Jones and Dale Murphy visiting hitters at spring training. Not the worst way to remind a lineup what grown-man baseball looks like.
- Phillies: MLB’s early Opening Day roster projection said most of Philadelphia’s roster is basically set, with only a few spots truly in play. Annoying team. Stable, talented, annoying.
- Marlins: Miami has eight players on its 40-man roster set to represent five federations in the World Baseball Classic, and the Marlins host the Mets today in Grapefruit League action.
- Nationals: Washington’s farm system remains one of the division’s most relevant storylines, with MLB Pipeline highlighting the organization’s ongoing rebuild and influx of new prospect talent. That doesn’t help Mets fans sleep, but pretending otherwise would be stupid.
Mets History Today
On March 6, 1961, the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club formally received its certificate of membership from National League president Warren Giles. In plain English, this was one of the days the Mets became officially real, which feels like a decent excuse to romanticize the whole ridiculous, beautiful franchise for five minutes.
Stats You Should Know
- The Mets are 20 days from Opening Day on March 26, 2026. Spring still counts, even when it lies to your face.
- Brett Baty’s homer Thursday was his first hit of the spring, and it came while he was making an outfield debut, which keeps his super-utility push very much alive.
- Lindor’s rehab progress matters more than almost anything happening in Port St. Lucie right now. MLB reported he resumed playing catch on March 3 after hamate surgery, a key marker as the Mets work toward having him ready for the start of the season.
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