PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — New York Mets pitcher Rick Porcello made his first pitch to be part of the club’s starting rotation Saturday, but the Miami Marlins stole a bit of his thunder.
Porcello pitched one inning and allowed two hits in the Mets’ spring training opener, allowing one run when Miami’s Monte Harrison swiped a pair of bases and scored on a bloop single.
The Mets lost 5-3, dropping their first game in newly-renovated Clover Park, which has undergone a $57 million facelift.
Porcello pitched 11 seasons in the American League for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox before inking a $10 million, one-year deal with the Mets. He’s never pitched in the National League and expects a learning curve – something the Marlins gave him with aggressive base running during his 17-pitch outing.
“Get out there, first pitch with a runner on first (base), and he’s gone,” Porcello said. “I’ll start paying attention to that more and be prepared more for a change in style of play.”
After singling to right field, Harrison got a quick jump and easily stole second, then scampered to third as Isan Diaz struck out. Garrett Cooper’s single with two outs plated Harrison.
Luis Rojas, in his first game as the Mets’ skipper, liked Porcello’s work and said the team prepares its hurlers for the running game.
“That’s something we’re constantly talking about in camp,” Rojas said. “We’re playing against a team like the Marlins – they’re aggressive. They establish that and did it last year on the bases. Throughout camp, we’re going to keep on working on controlling the running game.”
Porcello went 14-12 with a 5.52 ERA over 32 starts with the Boston Red Sox last year, but his durability may give him a leg up in the competition to earn a starting spot in the rotation.
A New Jersey native, Porcello has made at least 31 starts in all but three seasons.
RED SOX: Andrew Benintendi had one of Boston’s seven hits, and the Red Sox used a three-run eighth inning to win their spring opener against Tampa Bay, 4-3.
CARDINALS: Jack Flaherty is getting the ball on opening day.
St. Louis Manager Mike Shildt said the 24-year-old Flaherty will start the season opener March 26 at Cincinnati. It will be the right-hander’s first opening day start and comes after he finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting with a closing surge last season.
WHITE SOX: Chicago agreed to a $16 million, five-year contract with reliever Aaron Bummer that includes two club options, and a $3.5 million, one-year deal with infielder Leury Garcia.
Bummer, 26, had a 2.13 ERA and 27 holds in 58 appearances last season. He’ll make $1 million in 2020, $2 million in 2021, $2.5 million in 2022, $3.75 million in 2023 and $5.5 million in 2024. The White Sox hold options for $7.25 million in 2025 and $7.5 million in 2026, with $1.25 million buyouts for either season.
Garcia, 29, hit .279 with eight home runs, 40 RBI and a team-leading 93 runs last year.
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