JUPITER, Fla. — Adrian Gonzalez’s spring training of zeroes finally added a tally on Tuesday.
The Mets first baseman was without a homer or RBI in his first 49 plate appearances this spring before lofting a fly ball over the left-field fence at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium in the sixth inning and circling the bases against the Cardinals.
Gonzalez finished 1-for-3 at the plate with a walk and raised his batting average this spring to .191.
“It’s somewhat of a monkey off my back,” Gonzalez said of his first home run. “The next at-bat was good, so like we were talking about everybody is getting right to where they need to be with four games here to go.”
Gonzalez, who signed with the Mets in January after his release from the Braves, is ensured the starting first-base job to begin the season, winning the job without competition. Dominic Smith, who sustained a right quadriceps injury running the bases last month, is unlikely to reappear in a game before the Mets break camp, according to manager Mickey Callaway.
Gonzalez said he has made a recent mechanical adjustment, raising his hands to “work down” on the ball that he hopes makes a difference. Gonzalez played in just 71 games with the Dodgers last season because of back problems. The Mets are paying him the major league minimum on the $22.3 million he is owed this season.
The Mets made a second round of cuts, leaving 34 players in major league camp. The team optioned infielders Gavin Cecchini and Luis Guillorme to minor league camp. Reassigned to minor league camp were outfielder Matt den Dekker, catcher Jose Lobaton, infielder Ty Kelly and pitchers Drew Smith, A.J. Griffin, Corey Taylor, Matt Purke and P.J. Conlon.
Michael Conforto played four innings in center field in a minor league game and went 1-for-5. It’s possible Conforto will appear in a Grapefruit League game before the Mets head north on Monday.
The Mets will play Triple-A Las Vegas in an exhibition game Monday at First Data Field. Admission to the 1 p.m. game is $5, with the money collected going to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event on April 14.
Jacob Rhame pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Mets in a rebound performance in his team’s 8-7 exhibition victory over the Cardinals. The rookie right-hander remains in contention for a bullpen job.
Rafael Montero had to be removed after getting only one out in the eighth and allowing two runs, one of which was unearned. The right-hander has a 9.00 ERA this spring.
Wilmer Flores hit a two-run homer coming off the bench in the seventh. The blast was Flores’ third in the Grapefruit League.