How Mets’ Christian Scott Fared in Long-Awaited Return

For the first time in 18 months, this New York Mets pitching prospect took the mound in a live game.

During his first outing of the spring, Christian Scott tossed 2.2 innings scoreless on Wednesday against Team Israel, striking out five while allowing just two hits in the Mets' 5-2 win.

Christian Scott with 5 strikeouts today in his work vs. Team Israel pic.twitter.com/OoYwOziuSh
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 4, 2026

Scott's outing marked the first time he pitched in a live game since July 2024; he had undergone Tommy John surgery that cut his rookie season short and kept him out for well all of last year. The right-hander got his first taste of the major leagues after getting called up on May 4, 2024.

In nine big league starts, Scott posted a 0-3 record with a 4.56 ERA, 39 strikeouts, and a WHIP of 1.20 across 47.1 innings pitched before being placed on the injured list on July 23 with a sprained UCL. This ultimately led to the aforementioned Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for a year and a half.

With the Mets' former fifth-round draft choice now fully healthy, Scott talked about the initial nerves he had about appearing in his first live game in almost two years.

"I was a little nervous out there," Scott said. "I haven't thrown in so long with the defense and the crowd and whatnot, but being able to go out there and just compete with the defense behind me, a lot of guys that I grew up in the system with too, being out there, it was a lot of fun."

Christian Scott says he was "a little nervous" on the mound for his outing today pic.twitter.com/4AX8Su2S3u
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 4, 2026

Despite those nerves that Scott said he had, the 26-year-old said it felt great to be back on the mound and seemed very encouraged about the results he produced.

Carlos Mendoza's Comments on Scott's Performance

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was also pleased by what he saw out of Scott during his spring debut.

"Pretty impressive," Mendoza said. "First time out there facing another team, it's been a long road for him. It hasn't been easy, especially when you have to go through the whole rehab process, and he had a taste of it in 2024, and he was really good for us."

"First time out there facing another team, it's been a long road for him. It hasn't been easy"

Carlos Mendoza discusses Christian Scott's first outing of the spring today vs. Team Israel pic.twitter.com/bwzkaQjCgE
— SNY (@SNYtv) March 4, 2026

In all likelihood, Scott is expected to start this season with Triple-A Syracuse as the Mets' rotation is slated to have Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Kodai Senga, David Peterson, Sean Manaea and Clay Holmes at the beginning of the 2026 season.

Scott wasn't the only starting pitcher the Mets threw out on Wednesday against Israel, as the aforementioned Peterson appeared in his first live game of the spring. The lefty tossed three scoreless innings, striking out four while giving up just one hit and issuing two walks.

It remains to be seen when Christian Scott will make his much-anticipated return to the major leagues this season. But the Mets certainly have to be encouraged by what they saw today from their young right-hander, who showed glimpses of promise during his brief stint in the big leagues just two seasons ago.

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