At Port St. Lucie, Mets Hall of Famer Darryl Strawberry drew parallels between himself and the team’s promising prospect, Carson Benge, who, like Strawberry in his early career, is preparing to take on right field. When Strawberry won the World Series with the Mets at 24 years old, he assumed such championships would come regularly, but now he recognizes the challenges involved. Speaking on the Mets’ current crop of players, Strawberry emphasized that expecting constant success is unrealistic, stressing the need for hard work both individually and collectively.
I don’t know much about the young man, but I hear great things about him,
Strawberry said regarding Benge.
I think this organization has really done a great job developing the younger players again, as you will see, a lot of them are starting to really click.
Rationale Behind Mets’ Decision to Promote Benge Without Adding an Outfielder
Despite having the opportunity to add another outfielder this offseason, the Mets chose to hold back, allowing Benge to face major league competition without obstruction. Strawberry supports this approach, recalling his own rapid rise—from just under three seasons in the minors before being thrust into the majors in 1983. He believes that such early exposure to the big leagues could benefit Benge, who has played only 131 professional games to date.
I think looking at him, he’s probably a kid that’s got a chance to flourish here,
Strawberry said.
He’s young, but sometimes you’ve got to put the young players out there. You’ve got to let them learn.
Strawberry’s Deep Connection to the Mets and His Surprised Reaction to Alonso’s Departure
Strawberry retains a strong bond with players who rise through the Mets organization in Queens, a rarity he notes as difficult to achieve but incredibly rewarding given New York City’s unique sporting environment. This personal connection contributed to his shock when Pete Alonso left the Mets to sign a five-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles last December. In interviews with the Daily News and other media in Port St. Lucie, Strawberry shared his belief that Alonso may regret leaving the franchise where he set a new home run record.
The next day, however, Strawberry clarified that his initial remarks came from reflecting on his own departure from the Mets in 1990. He also admitted he was unaware that the Mets had not extended an offer to Alonso during free agency last winter. Ultimately, Strawberry expressed happiness that Alonso made a choice best suited to his and his family’s interests.
I didn’t know anything about that,
Strawberry commented. “I wasn’t into these decisions with [the Mets]. I was talking about Pete from the player standpoint of what he meant to this organization, like some of the other guys that came through this organization. Like I said, there’s not many of us. It’s only a handful of us that have come to this organization from the ground up and had success in New York.
That’s very hard to do, and hopefully some of these other younger guys get that opportunity to do that too.
Mentorship and Spiritual Connection Between Strawberry and the Mets’ Prospects
The Mets have encouraged Carson Benge and other young players to seek guidance from Strawberry this spring. Their relationship is grounded in shared Christian faith and spirituality. Strawberry, who leads an addiction recovery ministry alongside his wife, Tracy, is preparing to release his final book this August which explores strength and purpose through religion, a departure from the baseball focus of his earlier works.
How did I get to where I’m at? I got through here, through the trials and tribulations and the storms of life,
Strawberry revealed.
Spring Training Highlights and Emerging Mets Talent
The Mets continued preparing for the season at Clover Park, entering a 6-6 tie against the Houston Astros bolstered by a three-run home run from Mike Tauchman. Jason Alexander, a right-handed pitcher competing for a spot on Houston’s Opening Day roster, allowed two hard singles to Juan Soto and Bo Bichette early, with Bichette hitting him with a comebacker. Tauchman capitalized on a 1-0 changeup to send the ball over the right field fence.
In the same inning, Ronny Mauricio launched his first home run of spring training on just the second pitch of his at-bat, energizing the Mets’ offense.
Tauchman, a 35-year-old former Yankees outfielder signed on a minor league deal, is vying for an outfield position and may push Carson Benge, who remains the leading candidate for right field. Meanwhile, relief pitching prospect Jack Wenninger threw two innings, allowing two hits, walking two, and striking out three. The Mets collectively issued 13 walks in the game, more than typical, though the early stage of spring training tempers concern over such statistics.
Other key players including Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Jorge Polanco, and Luis Robert are progressing toward Grapefruit League game action. Alvarez is expected to participate as a designated hitter this week and begin catching by Saturday. Baty is slated to play first base as early as the weekend, signaling the team’s focus on preparing its core young talent.
