The New York Mets lost to the Detroit Tigers 9-6 at Lakeland, Fla., in Grapefruit League action on Tuesday, but Tim Tebow stole the show with his first home run in four spring training stints with the Mets.
The 32-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback sent a 3-2 pitch off Detroit right-hander Alex Wilson over the left-center wall in the sixth inning for a two-run blast, his first career spring extra-base hit. All nine of his previous spring training hits with the Mets were singles.
“I had a chance to see a few (pitches), and just tried to be tight and on time,” Tebow told MLB.com. “It feels really good. I feel like I’m seeing the ball pretty good.”
Tebow batted .150 (9-for-60) through three spring trainings with New York before this year. The outfielder batted .163 with four homers and 19 RBIs in 77 games with Syracuse of the International League (Triple-A) last season, which ended prematurely due to a deep finger laceration.
Yankees 4, Blue Jays (ss) 1
Third baseman Rosell Herrera hit a tiebreaking, two-run triple to spark a three-run seventh inning and lead New York past a Toronto split squad in Dunedin, Fla. Shortstop Santiago Espinal homered for Toronto.
Red Sox 12, Orioles (ss) 4
Catcher Connor Wong’s grand slam highlighted an eight-run fifth inning and busted the game open as Boston hammered a Baltimore split squad in Fort Myers, Fla. Jackie Bradley Jr. also homered for Boston.
