Peterson is in line to serve as starting rotation depth

The Mets are closely monitoring the status of Jose Quintana, who experienced tightness in his left side after his start against the Cardinals on Sunday. Meanwhile, David Peterson was diagnosed with just a left foot contusion after taking a comebacker in his appearance on Saturday. After undergoing an inconclusive X-ray, he had a CT scan that showed the contusion, and he is now day-to-day.

Peterson is in line to serve as starting rotation depth, which could be tested if Quintana is forced to miss time with his discomfort. The 27-year-old Peterson was most effective when he had the opportunity to pitch for the Mets last season.

Abraham Almonte has been impressive at the plate this spring, with seven hits in 13 at-bats, including two doubles. The 33-year-old has been described as a professional hitter by Buck Showalter, who also noted that Almonte has been solid in the outfield.

Almonte had a .730 OPS in 175 plate appearances for Atlanta in 2021 before spending most of last season in the minors. The switch-hitting non-roster invitee has played all three outfield positions over his major league career, which spanned 10 seasons.

With many veteran players leaving the Mets for the WBC, prospects like Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez, and Ronny Mauricio are expected to get more playing time. General manager Billy Eppler sees the WBC as an opportunity for these prospects to show what they can do, especially as opposing pitchers get deeper into their arsenals.

Buck Showalter expressed some worry about how the new rules might impact the game, particularly regarding safety. He questioned how the hitter’s readiness would be defined, as their eyes need time to focus. Showalter acknowledged the concern from a safety standpoint, noting that a lack of readiness may lead to a hitter or umpire getting hit.

Tim Locastro showed his value with Sunday’s fourth stolen base of the spring. The outfielder stole eight bases in just 38 games with the Yankees last season. Carlos Carrasco is scheduled to make his second start of the spring when the Mets play the Braves on Tuesday in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Carrasco was open about his difficulty adjusting to the pitch clock after his first spring appearance and acknowledged he was still not completely clear on the new rules. Like most of the Mets’ other pitchers, he is expected to use the pitch clock during his bullpen session between starts to quicken his adjustment.

The Mets bullpen was solid in their recent outing, with Brooks Raley, Drew Smith, Tommy Hunter, Sam Coonrod, Bryce Montes de Oca, and minor league lefty Nathan Lavender all tossing scoreless innings.

»Peterson is in line to serve as starting rotation depth«