Before the Labor Day matinee against the Tigers, a friend asked me an alarming question: Who are the Mets’ starters for a playoff series?
Kodai Senga? He’s been awful since returning from injury and Carlos Mendoza didn’t exactly offer a ringing, unambiguous vote of confidence about him remaining in the rotation. David Peterson? Bad start has followed bad start has followed bad start. Clay Holmes? Better of late but in uncharted territory as far as innings pitched, which we saw catch up to multiple Mets pitchers against the Dodgers in October. Sean Manaea? He hasn’t looked right all year, and has gone from “good early but ran out of gas” to “not good at all,” as was demonstrated against the Tigers.
Imagine a wild-card rotation of, say, Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Holmes. Or McLean, Holmes and the endless possibilities of Tylor Megill. Hell, call up Brandon Sproat and go all raw rookies.
Seriously, what are the Mets going to do?
One answer would be to outhit their mistakes, which is what they did Monday against the Tigers on a gorgeous day at Comerica Park. Juan Soto led the way, blasting a grand slam that ended Charlie Morton‘s day (and saved Brett Baty and Francisco Lindor from fannish tut-tutting about not delivering gimme runs) and then adding a two-run triple. The Mets got enough to overcome Manaea and not so great bullpen work from Gregory Soto, Ryne Stanek and walking disaster Ryan Helsley (who was at least yanked quickly this time).
Fortunately Edwin Diaz was up to the task, and the Mets didn’t so much win as survive. Not the most elegant strategy, but hey, whatever works. I have my doubts it will work when there’s bunting and clueless national TV crews on hand … but I also have my doubts it will work for the rest of September. Let’s worry about the problem at hand, shall we?
The bloom has definitely worn off the Hefner/pitching lab rose. I’ve not wanted Sproat to come up – don’t think he’s ready. But when the alternative is whatever the hell you call what’s been going on for us the past 6 weeks, maybe we should go ahead and use up the 40-man roster spot on someone who won’t be playoff eligible and go for it.
I was so ready to be heartily pissed off after the top of the 4th and Soto saved me that. Though with a good hitting team someone would have at least gotten McNeil in from 3rd before he came up. At least we can put the “Soto isn’t clutch” stuff to bed.
However, he STILL hasn’t hit a 3-run homer.
Sproat should have been here last week. Wasted another 7 shutout innings in AAA and now may not be eligible for postseason.
Note that Peterson, Manaea and Senga all awful even with 6 days off. So scratch the idea that “workload” is an issue.
People are dreaming if they think Senga can pitch out of the pen–he always has problems in first inning, even when pitching well otherwise. However, they could piggyback Manaea and Holmes for 6 innings–although Manaea may not even be up for that now.
Have to laugh that tipping pitches is only reason for Helsley’s troubles. Now we will be told that is Stanek’s only problem! Advice to Mendoza: hitters now can catch up to 99 mph straight fastballs.
Note: Tyler Rogers now up to 69 games pitched. Stearns traded for him despite that, so let’s see where he is in two weeks and in postseason. Also note: Gilbert with two homers, a triple and double in last two games for Giants and fans LOVE his exuberent personality, which Mets could use. Oh right, we have a couple of elite CFs already.
Peterson was brilliant in the post-season last year. I am not giving up on him so fast. The non-neophytes are just a bunch of beef by-products unitl to you get to the Porterhouse (McLean) and the Rib-Eye (Tong). Manaea needs an operation, Senga is a high maintenance sports car and Holmes has no real plus pitch (ergo his incessant nibbling and high pitch counts).
Been a Mets fan for a long time but I don’t ever recall such pitching insecurity. It’s unfamiliar territory.
I disagree only with one thing – the idea that ‘bad start has followed bad start’ for Peterson! In fact while he definitely had a rough August, he has only twice this year had consecutive bad starts; he preceded his disasterclass against Miami this week with 5.2IP 2ER against Atlanta and 8IP 1ER against the Nats, both entirely respectable or better, even if only one produced a W.
I think Peterson has to make it into any version of an October rotation the Mets put up… assuming they can make it there.
Instead of Spahn and Sain, we have McLean and Tong and then it all goes wrong.