Michael Conforto, Yoenis Cespedes and Jay Bruce all homer as Mets’ outfield has big day at the plate
Jay Bruce #19 of the Mets hits a grand slam against the Washington Nationals during the home opener at Nationals Park on April 5, 2018 in Washington, DC. New York won the game 8-2. Credit: Getty Images / Greg Fiume
WASHINGTON — All Jay Bruce did with his grand slam on Thursday, in addition to tripling the Mets’ lead against the Nationals, was match his fellow outfielders.
Yoenis Cespedes was the first to homer, a solo shot to left-center in the fourth. Michael Conforto followed with a two-run homer to left in the fifth. Then Bruce followed with a slam to right-center.
On the outfielders’ first day together — Conforto returned from the disabled list Thursday morning — the Mets hit the outfield dinger trifecta.
“I like to think that we are going to be a very, very consistent and impactful group out there,” Bruce said. “I’ll take our outfield over most, that’s for sure.”
Bruce’s grand slam highlighted the Mets’ strong day at the plate. He went 2-for-4, adding another run scored and a double off the top of the wall.
“He looks really good and comfortable at the plate,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “He swung the bat well. He was aggressive. He was going and attacking his pitch. He just missed another one, the curveball that he popped up. He took a good swing at that. It just didn’t get to where it probably should have gotten or else he would have gotten that too.”
Vargas heads south
Lefthander Jason Vargas, who traveled to D.C. with the team, is scheduled to fly to Florida on Friday in advance of his simulated game in Port St. Lucie on Saturday.
The stitches in his right hand have been removed after March 20 surgery, but Vargas is not yet catching baseballs himself. He said the mere act of catching a ball in his glove isn’t as important as continuing to let the hand heal.
Extra bases
The Mets have won four day games in 2018. They won 14 day games all of last season . . . Washington, D.C. is expecting snow and rain Saturday. There’s no game on Friday, so if Mets-Nationals is postponed and not rescheduled for Sunday afternoon, the teams would go 76 hours — 4 p.m. Thursday until 8 p.m. Sunday — without playing.
