Houston Astros vs New York Mets Prediction & Match Preview - March 30th | MLB Spring Training 2022
The Houston Astros travel to Clover Park in Florida to take on the New York Mets in a Spring Training game on March 30th. This matchup will be their second Spring Training game against each other this preseason. The New York Mets and Houston Astros both have championship aspirations in 2022 after the Astros won the American League West and the Mets have potentially the best pair of pitchers in the MLB, Max Scherzer and Jacob DeGrom.
The Houston Astros lost in the World Series in six games to the Atlanta Braves in 2021, and they expect to be right in the mix at the top of the MLB in 2022 once again. Finishing third in the National League East, the Mets hope that their star-studded bullpen can propel them past the reigning division champion Atlanta Braves. The teams that are bonded by rivalry with the World Series champion Atlanta Braves will play each other in an exciting matchup on March 30th.
Match Details
Fixture: Houston Astros vs New York Mets | Spring Training
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 30, 2022, 6:10 p.m. EDT
Venue: Clover Park, Port St. Lucie, Florida
Houston Astros Preview
The Houston Astros are 5-4 in Spring Training games this year, and they look to remain above .500 against the Mets. After losing superstar Carlos Correa in free agency, they will look to replace him on aggregate in 2022, which means a lot of players will have to step up. Jeremy Pena is a 24-year-old who has never played in the MLB, but has been getting starts and at-bats with the Houston Astros at shortstop during Spring Training.
Key Player - Jose Altuve
Seven-time All-Star Jose Altuve will have to step up his already excellent game to help lead the Houston Astros to success in this matchup against the New York Mets. Jose Altuve has had a slow start to the preseason, playing in only three games thus far and has only two hits. If Jose Altuve wants to hit the ground running on Opening Day, he will have to ramp up his gameplay against the Mets and for the rest of Spring Training.
Michael Schwab tweeted about Jose Altuve's dominance since entering the MLB.
Jose Altuve has the most hits by a player since 2011 (the year he debuted)
"Jose Altuve has the most hits by a player since 2011 (the year he debuted)" - @ Michael Schwab
Houston Astros Predicted Lineup
Starting Pitcher - Jose Urquidy, SS - Jeremy Pena, 2B - Jose Altuve, 1B - Yuli Gurriel, CF - Jose Siri, LF - Yordan Alvarez, 3B - Joe Perez, C - Marin Moldonado, RF - Lewis Brinson, DH - Kyle Tucker
New York Mets Preview
The New York Mets are a very interesting team in 2022. With the pitching rotation of Max Scherzer and Jacob DeGrom, they can contend for the NL East that was won with only 88 wins in 2021. While the Washington Nationals will likely bounce back, the Atlanta Braves remain their chief competitor. The Astros are a very talented team that will likely make the playoffs, so this game is a great opportunity to see how well the Mets stack up against a top team.
Key Player - Pete Alonso
Former Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso has been one of the best young players since entering the league in 2019. Expect him to continue in 2022. Pete Alonso has played six games in Spring Training thus far and will be the player to watch for the New York Mets. Relying on both his offensive output and defensive capabilities, the Mets expect Pete Alonso to be a core player on March 30th and for years to come.
Courtesy of the SNY network on twitter, Pete Alonso speaks on his mentality in 2022.
"I just need to relax and have fun and enjoy myself. We're playing a game, you know."
Before his historic 2019 season, Pete Alonso shed light on his mentality heading into his rookie year ⏮ https://t.co/1kM9hHgJfQ
"I just need to relax and have fun and enjoy myself. We're playing a game, you know." - Pete Alonso via @ SNY
New York Mets Predicted Lineup
Starting Pitcher - Carlos Carrasaco, 2B - Luis Guillorme, SS - Francisco Lindor, DH - Pete Alonso, 1B - Dominic Smith, CF - Travis Jankowski, C - Hayden Senger, 3B - Eduardo Escobar, LF - Mark Canha, RF - Jeff McNeil
Astros vs Mets Prediction
The Houston Astros undoubtedly have the better roster going into this game, but the scrappy underdog New York Mets may pull out the victory. The wolf climbing the mountain is always hungrier than the wolf at the top. I expect the Mets to attack this Spring Training opportunity against a superior Astros team with more intensity, leading to a 4-2 ball game for the Mets.
Where to watch Astros vs Mets
The March 30th matchup can be watched on the SNY network in the New York region and will be available to stream on the MLB Network.