Spring Training Game Chat: Mets vs. Cardinals, 1:05 PM

Thursday, March 11, 2026 • 1:05 PM
Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium • Jupiter, FL
LHP Sean Manaea (0-1, 3.00) vs. RHP Michael McGreevy (2-0, 3.24)
Matrix Midwest • Cardinals.TV

What to make of a spring training winning streak? Spring records don’t matter, starters don’t play the entire game, rosters are unbalanced with the home team having more MLB regulars than the road team, stars are out right now at the World Baseball Classic.

Even with all of those caveats, it’s nice to win four games in a row. The vibes feel good when you look at a box score and the Mets are just piling up hits and runs while keeping their opponents off the scoreboard. This afternoon the Mets look to win their fifth game in a row. While the results do not matter, the individual performances do and the Mets would love for Sean Manaea to continue that this afternoon.

Mets Lineup

1. Marcus Semien – 2B
2. Jorge Polanco – 1B
3. Bo Bichette – 3B
4. Luis Robert Jr. – CF
5. Brett Baty – RF
6. Francisco Alvarez – C
7. Mike Tauchman – DH
8. Tyrone Taylor – LF
9. Ronny Mauricio – SS

Starting Pitcher: Sean Manaea

Opposing Lineup

1. Maysn Winn – SS
2. Alec Burleson – 1B
3. Nelson Velázquez – RF
4. Nolan Gorman – 3B
5. Jordan Walker – DH
6. Yohel Pozo – C
7. Nathan Church – LF
8. José Fermín – 2B
9. Victor Scott II – CF

Starting Pitcher: Michael McGreevy

Game Notes

Clay Holmes will return to the Mets from Team USA because they can’t guarantee him enough innings during the quarterfinals. Holmes was fantastic in his lone outing with team when he went three scoreless with six strikeouts. Holmes will pitch for the Mets on Friday.

Francisco Lindor will play four-to-five innings in a minor league game on Thursday.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Sean Manaea’s velocity. Manaea made one mistake in his last start allowing a solo home run. Besides that, he pitched three innings allowing one walk and striking out one batter. Notably his velocity was down about 3 mph from last year. He said he felt good after the game, and it was his first start. We’ll be watching today to see if his velocity is still down, and even if it is down, is he still effective.
2. Jorge Polanco: The last time we saw Jorge Polanco he was having a day! Polanco went 2-for-2 on Tuesday with a home run, a walk, and two runs scored. He is now 3-for-9 this spring with a .500 OBP. Last season Polanco had a .326 OBP but had the most pop he’s shown since 2021. Hopefully he’s building momentum for a strong 2026!
3. Luis Robert Jr. makes his debut! The Mets finally traded for a centerfielder. For the better part of a year, it felt inevitable that the Mets and White Sox would figure something out. When healthy, Luis Robert Jr. can be an absolute game changer for the Mets. In 2023 he played in 145 games with a 5.3 bWAR and 130 OPS+ (.264/.315/.542). Last season he still managed to put up a 1.4 bWAR despite his 85 OPS+. He gives the Mets yet another potential 30+ SB player. We are just excited to finally see him in the lineup!

Let’s go Mets!

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