The New York Mets kicked off their Grapefruit League schedule in style, cruising to a smooth 6-2 win over the Houston Astros at Clover Field in Port St. Lucie, Florida. It wasn’t a game filled with fireworks, but it showcased the impact of the team’s top offseason acquisitions.
Holmes Makes a Seamless Transition
Clay Holmes, making his first start in a Mets uniform after transitioning from a dominant Yankees reliever to a potential rotation piece, made it look easy. He mowed down Astros hitters over three perfect innings, racking up three strikeouts along the way. His sinker-slider combo was sharp, but what stood out was his new ‘kick change.’
Clay Holmes’s new “Kick Change.” pic.twitter.com/YU1sWTfPuj
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 22, 2025
If that pitch proves to be as deceptive in the regular season as it looked in his debut, Holmes might make the leap from elite reliever to a formidable starter.
Soto Wastes No Time
Juan Soto arrived in Queens with sky-high expectations, and he wasted no time living up to them. In his first at-bat, the $765-million slugger took Houston’s Colton Gordon deep, launching a moonshot that electrified the crowd. Coming off a career-best 41-homer season with the Yankees, Soto looked every bit the offensive force the Mets are banking on.
Supporting Cast Steps Up
While Soto and Holmes grabbed the headlines, several other Mets quietly had solid performances. Luis Torrens, getting at-bats as the designated hitter, went 2-for-2 with a run scored. Francisco Alvarez chipped in with an RBI, while Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso also contributed offensively—Alonso showing patience with two walks.
On the mound, Austin Warren, Justin Hagenman, and Rico Garcia each turned in scoreless outings. Danny Young and Trey McLoughlin were the only Mets pitchers to surrender a run, but the game was already in hand by then.
Looking Ahead
Spring training rolls on as the Mets will split their squad on Sunday, taking on the Nationals at 2:05 p.m. ET and the Marlins at 2:10 p.m. The early returns suggest this team might be ready to hit the ground running when the real games begin.