MESA, Ariz. — At the end of last year’s postseason, Robbie Ray sent a text message to Tarik Skubal — one lefty to another.

The New York Mets have already lost two starters before opening day. Perhaps they feel a sense of urgency to add a star via trade.

Max Scherzer is embracing the long road back. The three-time Cy Young winner allowed one run over two innings in his spring training debut with the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, flashing a little bit of the fire that has become his trademark during his 18-year career.

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — It’s been more than a decade since Mets legend Johan Santana last pitched in a big league game. Eventually, he’d like to come back in some capacity, but first, he has some business to take care of at home.

LAKELAND, Fla. -- For the first part of Friday morning’s live batting practice session, Jake Rogers did what he’s done so often over the past year: he caught Tarik Skubal. In round two, however, he picked up a bat, stood in the box, and faced him.

Only 24 big league pitchers have won at least 300 games. The last to accomplish that was five-time Cy Young winner Randy Johnson, who got his 300th win while pitching for the Giants in 2009. Johnson won 303 games over 22 seasons in the big leagues, and was 8-6 in his only season with San Francisco that ended his career when he was 46.

Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara threw one scoreless inning against the New York Mets in a spring training game Sunday as he continues his comeback from elbow surgery that caused him to miss last