Oct 26, 2022; Surprise, Arizona, USA; Texas Rangers infielder Luisangel Acuna plays for the Surprise Saguaros during an Arizona Fall League baseball game at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
While the New York Mets struggled to score, managing just one run from a single hit on Friday, the Syracuse Mets had a much better performance, tallying six runs. The standout moment occurred in the fourth inning when Drew Gilbert and Luisangel Acuna hit consecutive home runs.
Drew Gilbert and Luisangel Acuña.
BACK. TO. BACK. pic.twitter.com/oLJAAXu1Oi
— Mets Player Development (@MetsPlayerDev) March 29, 2024
If you were preoccupied enjoying the home runs and missed the details in the graphics, it’s worth mentioning that both home runs were hit against Robert Gsellman. It’s a notable coincidence to highlight.
The anticipation for Gilbert and Acuna didn’t escalate much during spring training, as they didn’t see much playing time and weren’t in contention for the Opening Day roster. However, after their impressive performance in just one day of play for both the minor and major league teams, it’s reasonable to expect fans to become more vocal if they maintain their promising start.
How did other Mets players in Triple-A do?
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from this game was the performance of Joey Lucchesi. Starting for Syracuse, he allowed just one unearned run over five innings—a rare feat for a starting pitcher to go that deep into a game. Lucchesi gave up only two hits, walked one batter, and struck out five. Reed Garrett followed with two solid innings, striking out four batters, contributing to a strong showing from the Mets’ pitching depth. Both Lucchesi and Garrett are likely to be considered for promotion based on their performance.
Although Mark Vientos didn’t register any hits, he managed to score a run, drew a walk, and avoided striking out. Ji-Man Choi and Jose Iglesias, the most seasoned MLB players on the roster, each had two singles. On the downside, Rylan Bannon struggled at the plate, striking out three times in four at-bats as the designated hitter batting ninth, while Trayce Thompson committed an error.
Another noteworthy performance came from reliever Yacksel Rios, who entered the game in the ninth inning. Despite allowing three hits and an earned run, Rios managed to strike out two batters. Although the hits he surrendered were all singles, his ability to limit damage is commendable. As one of the more intriguing free agent relievers signed during the offseason to minor league deals, Rios has the potential to climb up the depth chart with continued success. While walks have been an issue for him in the past, he didn’t give up any walks in this game, though he did throw 10 balls out of his 23 pitches, which is slightly surprising given the favorable outcomes.
