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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla – As a former All-Star coming out of a disappointing season hampered by health concerns, Dellin Betances could be the most scrutinized Mets reliever in the camp.
The right-hander struggled to make his Grapefruit League debut last week, but showed improvement on Monday, when he allowed an undeserved run in the fourth inning of the Mets’ 9-5 loss to the Nationals.
“I felt like I was attacking the strike zone for the most part today,” said Betances, whose fastball was mostly in the 90-92 mph range, with a throw that hit 94. “This is something I have to keep doing. make and make sure my pitches are more consistent. “
Betances gave Starlin Castro a two-out double before Alex Avilia hit a Grounder in the shift that should have been the third out. But JD Davis threw it away, allowing the run to score.
Training last spring, Betances was coming back from a torn Achilles and might not have been ready if the season started on time. He missed most of September after forcing a lat.
“I like his stuff better than last season,” said a major league talent assessor. “I think his speed will increase by opening day.”
Carlos Carrasco kicked off a mock match in Port Saint Lucia and will take part in an exhibition match for the first time this spring this week or early next, according to manager Luis Rojas. The Mets will send Taijuan Walker to the mound on Tuesday for his first show debut, and Jacob deGrom is scheduled for Thursday, after a blank day on the calendar.
Dominic Smith started at first base, his first time playing a position this spring as Rojas looks to gradually ramp up his activity. Rojas has indicated that most of Smith’s action this spring will come in left field, which should become his main position in the absence of a universal DH.
Pitcher Jordan Yamamoto mishandled Juan Soto’s grounder in the first inning for an error, leading to the two (unearned) runs that scored against him for the day. The right-hander pitched three innings and allowed three hits and a walk. Yamamoto is competing for fifth place in the Mets’ rotation with David Peterson and Jonathan Lucchesi, among others.
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