Postcard from Cardinals spring training camp for Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026
Result: Cardinals 6, Mets 0
Weather: Sunny, 70 degrees
By Rob Rains
JUPITER, Fla. – Nolan Gorman knows exactly what will make this a successful season for him and the Cardinals – doing exactly what he did on Wednesday.
Gorman launched a three-run homer off Mets prospect Jonah Tong, the big blow in the Cardinals’ win over the Mets in Port St. Lucie.
After Gorman hit 27 homers in 2023, he has struggled to match that level of success the last two years, hitting a combined 33 homers in 716 at-bats in 2024 and 2025.
With the trade of Nolan Arenado to Arizona, third base – and regular playing time – has been opened up for the 25-year-old Gorman this season, and he hopes to take advantage of the opportunity.
The homer was the second of the spring for the Cardinals, after Nathan Church homered in the first game, as the Cardinals hope they will get more power from their overall lineup this season than they had last year/ In 2025 they finished next-to-last in the majors with 148 home runs, ahead of only the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Here is how Wednesday’s game broke down:
High: The Cardinals had their best offensive day of the spring thus far, pounding out 10 hits.
Low: Three of the Mets’ first six hits did not leave the infield.
At the plate: Gorman’s home run in the third inning followed a single by Chase Davis and a walk to JJ Wetherholt … Davis, a former first-round draft pick, later drove in two more runs with another single … Colton Ledbetter, acquired from Tampa in the three-way Brendan Donovan trade, also had a pair of singles.
On the mound: Richard Fitts made his Cardinals debut, as did Jurrangelo Cijntje. Fitts got the start and worked the first two innings, allowing two hits and recording a strikeout …Cijntje also worked two innings and gave up one hit, walked one and struck out two … Seven pitchers combined for the eight-hit shutout with Matt Svanson, Chris Roycroft, Gordan Graceffo and Luis Gastelum each working one inning.
Worth noting: After his scoreless inning in relief on Tuesday night, the Cardinals are expected to keep Tink Hence on a reliever’s schedule for the rest of the spring, using him for no more than two innings at a time. A final decision on how Hence will be used during the regular season, as a starter or reliever, and where he will open the season, will be made at a later date … Ramon Urias is expected to be in the lineup to make his Cardinals debut on either Thursday or Friday … The ballot for the fans’ selection for this year’s class of the Cardinals Hall of Fame was revealed on Thursday. Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, George Hendrick and Brian Jordan are on the ballot, with one or two players expected to be elected in voting that will run through April 17.
Up next: Matthew Liberatore will make his second start of the spring on Thursday when the Cardinals host the Astros in Jupiter.
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