Nimmo’s 2-run double sends Scherzer, Mets past Marlins 5-3

David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
0 Comments

MIAMI – Brandon Nimmo broke a seventh-inning tie with a two-run double, sending Max Scherzer and the New York Mets past the Miami Marlins 5-3 on Thursday.

Scherzer (1-0) coughed up a three-run lead but threw six solid innings in a matchup with NL Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara as the Mets improved to 41-21 on opening day – the best record in baseball.

Garrett Cooper tied it 3-all in the sixth with a two-run homer off Scherzer. Jacob Stallings led off the inning with a single and scored on Luis Arraez‘s double.

“Ran into a little trouble there in the sixth, a couple extra hits and a homer really kind of puts a sour taste in your mouth finishing the day,” Scherzer said.

Nimmo had three RBIs from the leadoff spot after re-signing with the Mets in the offseason for $162 million over eight years. He ripped a low slider from reliever Tanner Scott (0-1) into center field to put New York ahead 5-3 in the seventh, propelling the Mets to their 41st win in the past 53 openers.

“The slider stayed over home plate,” Nimmo said. “I kind of dug it out a little bit and was able to get the barrel there. Just happy to see it fall and get past Jazz (Chisholm Jr.) and let the guys run.”

Nimmo also had a sacrifice fly that scored Daniel Vogelbach for a 1-0 lead.

Before the opener, the Mets placed Justin Verlander on the injured list with a strained upper back muscle, sidelining the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner before his first appearance with the team.

Miami fell to 12-19 on opening day as rookie manager Skip Schumaker began his Marlins tenure with a loss.

Arraez was 2 for 4 and had a leadoff single in his first Marlins at-bat after Minnesota traded him to Miami in the offseason. The addition of last year’s AL batting champion was meant to be a huge lift for Miami’s offense, which was among the worst in the majors last season.

Scherzer permitted four hits and struck out six. The three-time Cy Young Award winner walked two in his first opening-day start with the Mets.

Drew Smith and newcomers Brooks Raley and David Robertson combined to strike out six over three shutout innings of one-hit relief.

Robertson, filling in as closer after Edwin Diaz suffered a season-ending injury in the World Baseball Classic, got three outs for the save.

Alcantara was lifted after giving up two walks and two singles that led to two runs in the sixth. He finished with an uncharacteristic four walks and struck out two.

“First game. I know I have more opportunities to not walk anybody,” Alcantara said. “I just have to keep working hard.”

The Mets made it 2-0 in the sixth when Lindor’s sacrifice fly drove in Nimmo. Big league batting champ Jeff McNeil added an RBI single, despite being hit with a pitch clock violation when Pete Alonso, who drew a walk in the previous plate appearance, was late getting back to first base on a foul ball.

FALSE START

Chisholm made his debut in center field after moving from second base when the Marlins added Arraez. Chisholm committed a costly throwing error in the sixth that allowed Starling Marte to advance from first to second. Marte eventually scored.

AN MVP RETURNS

Miami’s 1997 World Series MVP, Liván Hernández, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Jeff Conine before the game.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Mets: Verlander will continue throwing at moderate intensity and will undergo more scans in a week. … Díaz (torn right patellar tendon) was placed on the 60-day IL. … RHP Bryce Montes de Oca (Tommy John surgery) and four others were put on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to March 27: RHP Sam Coonrod (right lat strain), RHP Stephen Ridings (right lat strain), LHP José Quintana (left rib fracture) and RHP Elieser Hernandez (right shoulder strain).

Marlins: LHP Steven Okert (left adductor strain), RHP Tommy Nance (right shoulder strain) and RHP Nic Enright (Hodgkin’s Lymphoma) were all placed on the 15-day IL. … INF Yuli Gurriel was selected from Triple-A Jacksonville. … RHP Max Meyer was put on the 60-day IL (Tommy John surgery).

UP NEXT

The series continues Friday with New York LHP David Peterson facing LHP Jesus Luzardo.

Padres claim 2-time All-Star catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from Mets

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
2 Comments

SAN DIEGO — The scuffling San Diego Padres claimed catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from the New York Mets.

The two-time All-Star was designated for assignment after playing in three games for the Mets. He went 1 for 6 with three strikeouts and an RBI, looking shaky at times behind the plate.

With the disappointing Padres (24-29) getting meager offensive production at catcher, they hope Sánchez can provide a boost. Austin Nola is batting .131 with three extra-base hits and a paltry .434 OPS in 39 games. His part-time platoon partner, second-stringer Brett Sullivan, is hitting .170 with four extra-base hits and a .482 OPS in 21 games since getting called up from the minors April 16.

Luis Campusano has been on the injured list since April 17 and is expected to be sidelined until around the All-Star break following left thumb surgery.

San Diego is responsible for just over $1 million in salary for Sánchez after assuming his $1.5 million, one-year contract.

The star-studded Padres have lost seven of 11 and are 3-3 on a nine-game East Coast trip. They open a three-game series at Miami.

San Diego becomes the third National League team to take a close look at the 30-year-old Sánchez this season. He spent time in the minors with San Francisco before getting released May 2 and signing a minor league contract a week later with the Mets, who were minus a couple of injured catchers at the time.

After hitting well in a short stint at Triple-A Syracuse, he was promoted to the big leagues May 19. When the Mets reinstated catcher Tomás Nido from the injured list last week, Sánchez was cut.

Sánchez’s best seasons came early in his career with the New York Yankees, where he was runner-up in 2016 AL Rookie of the Year voting and made the AL All-Star team in 2017 and 2019.

He was traded to Minnesota before the 2022 season and batted .205 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 128 games last year.

With the Padres, Sánchez could also be a candidate for at-bats at designated hitter, where 42-year-old Nelson Cruz is batting .245 with three homers, 16 RBIs and a .670 OPS, and 37-year-old Matt Carpenter is hitting .174 with four homers, 21 RBIs and a .652 OPS.