Tobias Myers Shines in Spring Training Debut for Mets Against Nationals

The Mets’ spring training strategy to stretch out Tobias Myers as a starter took center stage on Saturday afternoon, as the right-hander made his debut on the mound against the Washington Nationals. Myers delivered an impressive outing, throwing three innings and allowing just one run while showcasing his skills with four strikeouts.

In his first appearance of the camp, Myers surrendered two hits, both in the third inning, walked one batter, and threw 46 pitches, with 34 finding the strike zone. His performance so far this spring has been remarkable, boasting a 1.69 ERA over 5.1 innings across two appearances. However, it was not just the numbers that left Myers feeling satisfied; it was the sense of control he experienced during the game.

“It felt good, definitely felt good,” Myers reflected after his outing. “Body felt like it was under control, like I’m not trying to do too much out there. I feel like when I’m in that mindset, I keep myself in a better spot than trying to go out there and do a little too much. That’s my key takeaway from today – felt under control and body felt great.”

The Mets acquired Myers from the Milwaukee Brewers in a deal that also brought Freddy Peralta to New York. After demonstrating versatility during his tenure in Milwaukee, the Mets are eager to see how Myers can contribute this season. Saturday’s start was an opportunity for him to further prove his adaptability.

This game also marked the first time Myers pitched to catcher Francisco Alvarez. Previously, in his spring training debut, he had thrown to prospect Kevin Parada. Despite it being their first game together, Myers had already built a rapport with Alvarez prior to camp. “It was great. I actually got to throw to Francisco two weeks before camp started,” he shared. “We met up and were able to get some work in before camp started. It’s really, really cool – especially this morning – being able to communicate all morning about what we want to do. Alvy’s full of energy; he’s fun back there.”

As spring training unfolds, it serves as a crucial time for pitchers to refine their skills and develop new pitches. Myers is no exception, having recently added a slider to his arsenal alongside a splitter he introduced last season. “The splitter is fairly new; I started throwing it in the middle of the season last year,” Myers explained. “I’m just spiking it a little bit, looking for more depth to get some more swing and miss. It’s been only two weeks throwing it, so it’s coming along pretty well.”

As the Mets consider how best to utilize Myers this season, building up his pitch count is the next step. Coaches Carlos Mendoza and David Stearns have advised him to aim for 60-65 pitches in his upcoming outings before reassessing his role. Regardless of whether he ends up starting, relieving, or closing, Myers remains focused on his approach. “I’m comfortable on the mound, so I feel like if you start a game, if you’re relieving, you’re closing, you still got to get three outs or whatever the case may be,” he said.

Trusting his coaches is integral to Myers’ mindset. “I like to pride myself on being a coachable pitcher, so I like to put my trust in my coaches,” he said. “I know everybody here is very, very smart. It’s easy to tell when you talk to them and communicate with other guys. For me, it’s about putting my trust in those guys and letting them guide me.”

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.