PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Only time will tell if the injuries to Jed Lowrie and Todd Frazier keep them off the field on Opening Day. If those two are sidelined, however, J.D. Davis showed on Wednesday that he’s plenty prepared to step in at third base.

Davis homered, singled twice and drove home four runs in the Mets’ 14-6 win over the Marlins at First Data Field. Although he played the entire game at designated hitter, the offseason trade acquisition is tentatively scheduled to start on Thursday at third base.

“It’s nice to actually drive a ball in the air and not beat it in the ground,” Davis said. “It was a pretty fun day.”

Capable of playing first and third as well as both corner-outfield positions, Davis will see increased time at the hot corner this spring with both Lowrie (sprained left knee capsule) and Frazier (strained left oblique) sidelined. Davis entered this spring on the Mets’ roster bubble, and he knows his chance to make the team may hinge on the health of those two.

“We’re going to lean on these guys, Jed and Frazier and the older guys,” Davis said. “They’re going to be the anchors for this team, and they’re going to be the leaders in the clubhouse and on the field. I’m just trying to do my part.”

Slow going

Infielder T.J. Rivera is “having trouble getting over the hump” in his return from Tommy John surgery, according to Mets manager Mickey Callaway. Although the Mets expected Rivera to enter Spring Training as a completely healthy player, he has yet to appear in a game -- and doesn’t appear likely to anytime soon.

Rivera underwent his operation in September 2017. He appeared in six Minor League rehab games last July, but the team shut him down after that due to continued right elbow discomfort.

“He’ll tell us when he’s ready,” Callaway said. “But it’s been a long time now, so the concern is more about being out for so long than it is anything else. It’s like, man, you feel bad for the guy. You want him to get out there. He’s such a hard worker, you want it to happen for him and materialize, and it just hasn’t.”

Public enemy No. 1

When Marlins outfielder Peter O’Brien stepped to the plate in the first inning on Wednesday, a boo or two rang through the crowd. Two innings later, O’Brien heard a few more -- not as many as he expected, but a rare Spring Training occurrence nonetheless.

It seems at least a few fans have not forgotten O’Brien’s catch of a David Wright popup last September, in the final plate appearance of Wright’s career. Ranging into foul ground, O’Brien made a difficult grab near the stands to ensure Wright’s last big league act would be an out, not a hit.

“As soon as it happened, I heard the boos from the crowd,” O’Brien said, noting that he’s escaped the worst of the venom because he stays off social media. “It took me a minute to put two and two together, but right after I did, I got it. It was cool. I said back then, it’s a good feeling. Being booed on the road and everyone being into the game, it’s a fun atmosphere.”

For as long as he’s in the big leagues, O’Brien figures he will always receive boos at Citi Field -- though he’d prefer them to rain down for another reason.

“I hope that would mean I did a lot of damage against the Mets,” O’Brien said.

Double-double

Amed Rosario's strong game on Wednesday included two doubles -- one on a line drive to the base of the left-center-field wall and another that nearly cleared the orange home run line in straightaway center. Rosario credits the uptick in power to his revamped swing mechanics, which include a reprise of the leg kick that he eliminated late last season.

“I do think I’m going to have a lot more power this season,” said Rosario, who hit nine homers, eight triples and 26 doubles in 2018.

Strike-throwing machine

Callaway has stressed strike-throwing above all else for his pitchers early in camp. So it was notable that Steven Matz threw 22 of his 32 pitches for strikes in his spring debut. Matz allowed one run on a long Lewis Brinson homer, and two other hits, but came away satisfied with his outing.

“Attacking the strike zone, that’s my main focus right now,” Matz said. “I felt like I was able to do that today, so I’m pretty pleased."

From the trainer’s room

• Brandon Nimmo was scheduled to make his outfield debut this week, but the Mets sent him home from the facility on Wednesday due to a stomach ailment. He may miss another few days.

“I guess he cooked some chicken and didn’t know how to cook or something,” Callaway quipped. “He was throwing up all night. We’re going to have to teach him how to cook so he doesn’t miss any more games.”

• Jeff McNeil was a late scratch on Wednesday due to a bad scrape on his left wrist, but he could return as soon as Thursday.

Up next

The Mets will roll out the final member of their rotation when Jason Vargas takes the mound on Thursday for his spring debut in Jupiter. Vargas, who ended last season 5-1 with a 2.62 ERA in his final eight starts, is unofficially slated to start the Mets’ fifth game of the regular season. He’ll oppose Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas in a 1:05 p.m. ET game at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium.