Luis Gil makes strong spring debut, but Mets outflex Yankees — and more

Despite entering spring training as a bit of an odd man out, Luis Gil looked sharp in his first spring start, continuing an early Grapefruit League theme of strong pitching performances. The former Rookie of the Year tossed 2.2 scoreless innings against the Mets, who would win the ballgame behind a quartet of homers. The Yankees rallied to make the game close, but a pair of failed bases-loaded rallies and two runners scattered in the ninth doomed their efforts as they fell 6-4. José Caballero hit a home run for the Bombers in the loss.

Gil’s command looked solid in his first spring inning as he retired the side in order on 11 pitches. The fastball sat in the mid-90s and his changeup, which looked sharp, in the mid-to-high 80s. The second inning was lengthier and led to a run, but was in a way more encouraging.

Lefty DH Jared Young led off the frame, worked the count full and took him out to right field for a home run to open the scoring. After that, his opponents worked a variety of deep counts against him, but he worked around a single and struck out three Mets to retire the side. In the third, he collected two more outs—including a close play at first where he covered the bag in the nick of time—and departed from the game.

It wasn’t as flashy a spring debut as that of Elmer Rodríguez and Carlos Lagrange, who have drawn all the buzz at camp this year. But Gil checked all the boxes he needed. He mixed in all three pitches, maintained consistent velocity, and picked up some strikeouts; with no walks included.

The Yankees tied the game in the bottom of the third with a Caballero home run off starter Justin Hagenman. Caballero figures to be the everyday shortstop to begin the season with Anthony Volpe on the mend from shoulder surgery, and if he produces at the clip he did in 2025 after putting on the pinstripes, he may stay in it.

The Yankees worked the bases loaded after the Caballero dinger, but failed to capitalize. Luis Torrens made them pay to lead off the fourth when he took Rule 5 draftee Cade Winquest for a ride to right center field. Winquest rebounded to retire the side and hold the Mets to a 2-1 lead.

Tim Hill got his first Grapefruit League work of the spring in the fifth inning. He allowed back-to-back singles to begin his outing but recovered in characteristic fashion, inducing a ground ball double play followed by a soft liner by Mark Vientos to put up a zero on the box score. Unfortunately the Yankees bats followed in kind despite loaded the bases once again.

Then, as a wise man once said, it was dèja vu all over again. Hayden Senger led off the sixth inning and followed the earlier first-strike bombs from Young and Torrens with yet another long ball. It was a great day at the dish for the Mets, and it reminded me of how excruciating it can be to watch a team that struggles with plating their baserunners in games that matter. Thankfully, this exhibition contest does not qualify.

Things proceeded quietly enough until the top of the eighth inning, when the Mets continued their power party. They got two men in scoring position with two outs for JT Schwartz, who made their position on the basepaths moot with a towering fly to right. That put the visitors solidly in the driver’s seat, 6-1.

Well, then the Mets saw something creep up in their rear-view mirror. In the home half of the inning, center fielder Kenedy Corona stung a fastball from Brian Metoyer out to right field and got all of those runs back with a three-run jack of his own. Corona made his MLB debut last year with the Astros, appearing in three games in July. This is his first year in the Yankees organization after five seasons in Houston’s minor league system. After his homer, you might say a corona began to shine around the Yankees’ chances of winning the game … sorry, it’s spring training for us scribes, too.

The Yankees brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth inning, and it came down to Ernesto Martinez Jr., a tall lefty first baseman. But Martinez rolled over to first base, and the Mets grabbed the road victory. Oh well. It was encouraging to see Gil follow up the performances of Rodriguez and Lagrange with some fuego of his own.

Tomorrow the Yankees will travel to Bradenton and face the Pirates. Ryan Yarbrough will get the ball against a Pittsburgh starter yet to be named. Like today’s game, YES will not carry it, but the Pirates’ broadcast will be available via MLB.tv.

Box Score

Liverpool eye Edmond Tapsoba

Liverpool have their eyes on Edmond Tapsoba, according to Fussball Daten. They’re far from alone in that, though, as several clubs feel they could pry him away from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

The Reds are among those who feel he has the ‘high intensity’ to thrive in the Premier League. Though, they’ve thought that for a very long time now.

Michigan State basketball welcomed in Ohio State to the Breslin Center on Sunday afternoon for a prime-time game against the Buckeyes. A tight affair from start to finish, Ohio State nearly pulled off the upset over the Spartans, but fell 66-60.

This win would have gone a long way in securing a tournament bid for the Buckeyes, but the Spartans squandered any hope for that in the immediate.

Following the game, Ohio State head coach Jake Diebler spoke to the media, commenting on the game that unfolded in East Lansing. Here is what he had to say:

• "Our team battled a little illness, and it is next man up. Hopefully none of this stuff is long-term."
• "Our free throws (were the issue). We struggled from three. Ball just didn't go in for us, like we are capable of, today."
• "I think yes, Bruce Thornton (made his case to be first team All-Big Ten) did. He plays the game the right way. He plays with toughness. Against an elite defense, an elite defensive guard, it says a lot about who he is. This MSU team is a big-time team."
• "Carson Cooper's efficiency was big time for MSU."
• "We knew rebounding would be a huge key to the game. Couple times we had a good initial hit, and MSU is good at having their guys keep moving. We had a good initial hit, but they move. Jordan Scott had a big one for them that I can remember."

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This article originally appeared on Spartans Wire: What Ohio State HC Jake Diebler said after loss to Michigan State

Toronto has plenty to figure out.