Noteworthy items during the Mets’ Grapefruit League action on Wednesday:
Pen pals
Jorge López and Shintaro Fujinami, two relievers who’ve produced mixed results this spring but could play pivotal roles for the Mets behind their high-leverage arms in the bullpen, threw one inning each, didn’t allow a hit and combined for four strikeouts.
“The spring training has been hectic a little bit, but I’ve been feeling better, physically fine, and tonight, I felt really good on the mound,” Fujinami said through an interpreter. “Very happy about it.”
Lead astray
The Mets blew a 5-1 lead in the ninth before Joe Suozzi — the son of New York Rep. Tom Suozzi — hit a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame to seal their victory.
Caught my eye
Mark Vientos launched his third homer of the spring, crushing a sweeper 411 feet to left-center in the eighth. He’s strung together four hits in his last four games — including two homers — while vying to make the Mets’ roster at third base or designated hitter.
When Vientos homered Sunday, it carried over the right-field fence and wouldn’t have been a homer in any MLB ballpark.
This time, though, his blast would’ve cleared the fences in all 30, according to Baseball Savant.
“Feel like I walk around here with a chip on my shoulder and I feel like I always gotta prove-times-two,” Vientos said, referencing a “narrative” that has followed him since he started playing baseball.
Thursday’s schedule
José Butto makes his second start — and fourth appearance overall — when the Mets face the Cardinals in an afternoon game at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.
Austin Adams, Brooks Raley and Yohan Ramírez are scheduled to follow out of the bullpen.