Mets Morning News for March 23, 2023

Mar 23, 2023 - 12:15 PM

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Meet the Mets

The Mets optioned Francisco Álvarez to Triple-A Syracuse and sent fellow catcher Nick Meyer to minor league camp.

Asked about the potential for Álvarez to force his way on to the Mets’ major league roster this year, manager Buck Showalter emphasized how much he likes the Mets’ other two catchers.

Joel Sherman writes that the Mets aren’t in a rush with their top prospects.

Carlos Carrasco won’t make a scheduled start in the minor league side of spring training today, but Buck Showalter says he’ll pitch in one on Tuesday.

Brandon Nimmo and Brooks Raley, however, played in minor league games yesterday and could see Grapefruit League action this weekend.

If the Mets were to try to upgrade their bullpen to make up for the loss of Edwin Díaz right now, their options would be limited and expensive, writes Sherman.

The Mets and Astros played a spring training game yesterday.

A bill introduced in Albany would allow building on the Citi Field parking lot.

Tim Healey notes that Kodai Senga hasn’t been throwing his splitter lately.

Tommy Hunter is likely to make the Mets’ Opening Day bullpen and played a very entertaining Mets version of “Guess Who?” with Max Scherzer.

Greg Prince reacts to the Mets’ announcement of the Cadillac Club at Payson’s in the right field corner at Citi Field.

Around the National League East

Ranger Suárez is not likely to be healthy enough to start the season on the Phillies’ roster.

Around the World Baseball Classic

The way the WBC ended, with Shohei Ohtani striking out Mike Trout, was emblematic of a tournament that was great for baseball, writes Jeff Passan.

Speaking of Trout, he posted about how much he enjoyed playing in the tournament and representing his country, a seemingly universal sentiment among those who participated.

The tournament showcased just how great Ohtani is at both of his roles as a baseball player, writes Deesha Thosar.

Thosar also wrote about baseball’s best players finding purpose and passion in the tournament.

It’s not too soon to dream about what the United States roster could look like for the 2026 WBC.

The championship game of the WBC drew a lot of viewers.

Around Major League Baseball

The league will not be changing anything about the major components of its new rules for the 2023 season, all of which have been in place during spring training. But it will be monitoring the performance of bat kids. Really.

Players sought additional leeway with the clock rules for certain circumstances, but the league wouldn’t agree to it.

Corbin Burnes made it known that he wasn’t a fan of the Brewers’ tactics at his arbitration hearing earlier this year, and he has hired Scott Boras’s company to represent him.

The Florida legislature is considering bills to exclude minor league baseball players from the state’s minimum wage laws.

Roger Clemens is joining the ESPN broadcast booth for its first game of the season.

In better broadcasting news, Apple TV+ will allow fans to switch to local broadcast audio during its Friday night games. Unlike last year, however, those broadcasts will not be free.

Yesterday at Amazin’ Avenue

Michael Drago looked at what’s in store for Francisco Álvarez this year shortly before the catcher was optioned to Triple-A.

The first APOTO episode of the Home Run Applesauce era dropped.

This Date in Mets History

March 23 saw the departure of Bud Harrelson from and the addition of Fernando Tatis to the Mets, quite a few years apart.