Mets Notes: Carlos Mendoza updates status of Luisangel Acuña, explains plan for Kodai Senga

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza met the media before Sunday’s 1:05 p.m. spring training game at the Boston Red Sox. Here is a recap of the updates, including Luisangel Acuña‘s status after a hit-by-pitch in Saturday’s 10-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays and the plan for Kodai Senga as he makes his 2025 debut.

Luisangel Acuña

Acuña (elbow) is “feeling better today” but will not play.

“He’s not going to swing the bat today,” Mendoza said. “We’re going to give him an extra day. He’s going to do defensive work and all that and we’ll reevaluate (Monday). But, talking to him, he’s in a good spot. Again, we’re just going to give him an extra day. So, as of right now, not too concerned.”

Sean Reid-Foley

Reid-Foley, whom the Mets placed on the 60-day injured list Sept. 5 with a right shoulder impingement, made his spring debut Saturday and has responded well after he allowed one hit and one walk while getting the first two outs of the sixth inning.

“So far, it’s good,” Mendoza said. “Fifteen pitches (Saturday) — that was the plan. That’s why I went and got him quick. First time on the mound since I don’t know how many months. It’s been a long road. But so far, so good.”

“I thought he was good,” Mendoza added. “He threw strikes. First time out, he was 93, 94. I know there was more in the tank, but it was just good to see him out there competing, and I think it was a couple sliders. Overall, it was a good day for him.”

Paul Blackburn

Blackburn, who started five games for the Mets in 2024 before a hand injury and subsequent season-ending back issue, enters Sunday’s start after debuting with one strikeout over a scoreless inning Feb. 26 at the Miami Marlins.

“He’s going to go two innings (Sunday),” Mendoza said. “He’s going to go two innings and, yeah, we will continue with his buildup.”

David Peterson

With Senga starting Monday’s 6:10 p.m. game against the Marlins, Peterson will follow in relief rather than slide to Tuesday’s 1 p.m. game at the St. Louis Cardinals.

“No, I think he’s going to follow Senga,” Mendoza said when asked if Peterson would get moved from Monday to Tuesday’s start. “So, yeah — Senga (Monday), and Petey will follow him.”

Jeff McNeil

McNeil’s 1-for-3 Saturday ended with a single to center fielder that led off the fifth inning after he popped and flew out in his earlier at-bats.

“I want to see that because I saw it last year in that second half when he was driving the baseball, getting his pitches and just kind of letting it fly,” Mendoza said of McNeil, who slashed .238/.308/.384 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI in 129 games last season. “I think he got away from that because of the shifting a couple of years ago when he was more like, ‘Let me spread the ball around, look around, whether teams are playing me,’ and he kind of got away a little bit.

“But talking to him last year, it was something that he did in Double-A where it’s like, ‘I need to drive the baseball.’ He has success in the big leagues, won a batting championship, because he’s got that ability. But like I said, last year after that slow start that he had and then on the second half, that was the biggest adjustment — making sure that I’m getting good pitches and I’m just going to drive the baseball. And we saw some really good results and that’s what we’re seeing here now. Even during batting practice, you see him launching balls. He’s in a good spot.”

Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto

Lindor and Soto are out of the lineup for a second game in a row but will be back Monday against the Marlins.

“They’re good,” Mendoza said. “You’ll see them (Monday) in the lineup.”

Francisco Alvarez

Alvarez, who is set for a back-to-back start at catcher, continues to work through a new swing.

“I think it’s going very good,” Mendoza said of Alvarez, who enters Sunday with a 3-for-12 line and three walks in five games. “The takes, the way the barrel’s coming through the hitting zone, the timing — just, like I said earlier, rhythm at the plate. So, yeah, I think he continues to make adjustments the more at-bats that he gets.

“From the beginning, he was like, ‘I want to play. I want to see what it feels like.’ And that’s why, like today, he’s back-to-back for the first time. But overall, I think he’s in a good spot and he will continue to make some adjustments. It was pretty a new swing for him mechanically, physically — everything. But talking to him, he feels really good about it.”

“He’s spent so much time in the offseason, and he’s in a good spot,” Mendoza added. “I don’t think he’s going to go back to what we saw last year, but good players always are making adjustments. And he’s going to have to make some adjustments, because the league will adjust to him, so that’s the game. I don’t think he’ll go all the way back, but I think he’s in a good spot.”