By Adeniyi Precious 
The New York Mets took a tough 5-1 loss to the Houston Astros on Thursday, bringing their Spring Training record to 4-7. The team’s big names – Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso – were all in the lineup, but they only managed to score once, with Lindor hitting an RBI single in the fourth inning.
While Spring Training results aren’t the main focus, player development and health are. Unfortunately, the Mets are already dealing with injuries. With both Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas out, the pitching depth is taking a hit.
Mets GM David Stearns gave an update on Manaea’s injury. He said Manaea will get his right oblique retested early next week, and if everything looks good, he’ll move into a throwing program. The left-hander, who signed a three-year, $75 million deal this offseason after a solid 2024, is expected to be out for the start of the season. If he can’t go, the Mets will have to figure out how to replace his solid performance on the mound.