PORT ST. LUCIE — Edwin Diaz allowed just five homers in 73 ¹/₃ innings last season, so watching him surrender two in one frame Friday was something of a surprise for the Mets.
Anthony Rendon and Matt Adams went deep against Diaz in the fourth inning of the Mets’ 11-3 exhibition loss to the Nationals.
“I faced good hitters today,” Diaz said. “I have to make adjustments when the season starts to face them.”
Diaz received his first Grapefruit League action since Sunday — he had pitched in a simulated game during the week — as the Mets look to prevent him from overuse this spring.
Friday was the second straight game in which he was scored upon.
“I was supposed to throw a fastball away that I left in the middle and another sinker I left in the middle, they hit it pretty good,” Diaz said.
Manager Mickey Callaway appreciated that the 24-year-old Diaz was aware his location was the issue.
“That does say a lot about a young kid, especially his age, to be able to diagnose that and understand, and that is what it takes to be a closer,” Callaway said. “You kind of shake it off.”
Pete Alonso was absent from the lineup, but he still saw action: Callaway asked the rookie first baseman to bring out the lineup card to umpires before the game.
“He’s never done it before, and I walked him through the process,” Callaway said. “It can’t hurt to learn everything that baseball entails. It’s not just about going out there and playing defense and hitting. There’s a lot of cool things about baseball, and doing the lineup card the right way is pretty cool.”
Alonso said he had a joke prepared for the umpires — “What is long, brown and sticky?” — but decided against using it.
Answer: A stick.
Noah Syndergaard’s start Monday could come in a simulated game because Callaway would prefer to keep the right-hander from facing the Nationals this close to the regular season. Syndergaard is expected to pitch March 30 in Washington.
Drew Smith, who underwent Tommy John surgery earlier in the week, met with Callaway. The reliever had a ligament removed from his leg to replace his torn UCL because a suitable replacement couldn’t be found in his left wrist.
Keon Broxton went 2-for-3 and scored twice in the Mets’ 11-3 exhibition loss to the Nationals in Port St. Lucie. Broxton remains the likely backup in center field to Juan Lagares to begin the season.
Eric Hanhold surrendered a third-inning homer to Yan Gomes. It was the only hit allowed by Hanhold, who has posted a 4.05 ERA this spring.
Luis Avilan had a seventh scoreless appearance in eight outings this spring. The left-hander pitched two shutout innings and remains a front-runner to claim an open bullpen job.
Saturday’s schedule: Jason Vargas is scheduled to face the Marlins in Jupiter, Fla. The lefty has pitched to a 1.08 ERA this spring.