Fourth Time Through The Mets Rotation

An unbiased view reveals an interesting Google search selection, but the truth is providing a fair and objective opinion about a subject. Despite my fealty to the Kings of Queens and the blue and orange draped upon my brow, the best advisor acknowledges both sides of the story. But best believe, this story has already had twists and turns like a topsy-Turvy theme park ride. So let's all stop complaining about how much it costs to get in here and enjoy what's been a somewhat successful early season.

I hate to sound like an optimist, but the Mets are 13-7 and have won every series so far; the lone (and loud) exception a three-game dismantling in Milwaukee. That same Brewers team is atop the Central and tied for the best record in the National League with the Atlanta Braves. And while the defending NL East champs have missed Max Fried and had injuries of their own, no one was missing 2/5 of their rotation to start the season and has stayed relevant.

Yes, age is a factor in injury, but that didn't stop Stephen Strasburg from residing on the IL. It didn't stop Jacob deGrom from leaving after four no-hit innings the other day and it won't stop the next highly paid pitcher from finding his way away from the mound due to an ailment of some kind.

Here's hoping the Mets are getting all their injuries out of the way early and that's the truth.

April 16 - Mets 4, Athletics 3

José Butto: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO

I watched way too many Mets games from Florida that didn't matter this spring; but don't remember Butto. A quick and quiet first three outs was refreshing and Tommy Pham’s solo shot in the 2nd provided an early lead to work with, something most Mets’ starters haven’t had recently. Brandon Nimmo made a highlight reel catch in right center field and would make another the other way later in the game. But in the third, Eduardo Escobar couldn’t barehand a dribbler and suddenly there were two runners on against the 25-year old rookie. Butto was starting batters with his 95 MPH fastball, but dropped a slider to produce a grounder and got out of trouble.

Butto made trouble for himself with a two-out walk in the third. Up 2-2 in the count, he couldn’t throw his change up for a strike. According to SNY’s Gary Cohen, that was his best pitch and it showed against Ramon Laureano.

In the fourth, Butto started with another walk, but got an interesting double play to end the threat. He breezed into the 5th, which was important for a bullpen that’s been asked a lot early, but this was where the A’s finally got to him. A walk, steal, and a single tied the game at 1-1, then another stolen base put another runner in scoring position. However, the trend I mentioned earlier kicked in and three pop ups later, the outing became everything management could have asked for in a quick call up from Syracuse. As Ron Darling said, it’s players like this who are the forgotten heroes during a long season.

April 17 - Mets 8, Dodgers 6

David Peterson: 6 IP, 7 R, 6 R, 6 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO

Did Peterson hit Mookie Betts on the back foot slider? The challenge to start the bottom of the first at Dodgers Stadium paid off with Peterson's first strikeout. At least there wasn’t anyone on when Freddie Freeman struck back with a solo home run. After a good sinker low and inside to Max Muncy, a mistake slider was pounded into center field for a single. An opposite field single put two runners on and emergency catcher Austin Wynns, signed hours earlier in the day, slapped a breaking ball to the right field gap to put LA up 3-2 just two innings in.

The problems early were caused by a couple of mistake pitches, but Peterson looked comfortable pitching on the mound. He mixed his fastball and off-speed pitches well, retiring nine Dodgers to reach the bottom of the fifth inning with a 5-3 lead. Then, Betts singled up the middle,which brought up Freeman. The certified Met Killer launched his 30th career HR against the Mets to tie the game at 5-5. A grounder got Peterson through the frame, but memories of mistakes made will only look worse when watching the replays afterward.

Matching Trevor May’s 5.2 innings is a noble goal since both starters were smacked around, but Muncy connected with another mistake before Peterson's night was over. He allowed three homers - all against left-handed batters - but at least he finished six frames; something only three other starters had reached so far.

April 18 - Dodgers 5, Mets 0

Tylor Megill: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO

The importance of this start grew exponentially with Carlos Carrasco going on the IL hours before Megill threw his first pitch. It obviously altered the pitching plans and made the organization’s original 2023 projected Triple-AAA Opening Day starter that much more important. Megill got punched in the mouth early against the Padres, but was able to match Blake Snell through five innings and left his last start ‘on the long side’ to quote SNY’s Cohen. He was once again pitching opposite the opposition’s top starter with Clayton Kershaw on the bump.

The evening got off to a bumpy start with Nimmo stranded at 3rd base to end the top of the 1st. Then, Megill allowed a 2-run homer in the bottom of the frame. J.D. Martinez would strike again with a solo shot in the third for a 3-0 lead. When weighed with Kershaw’s performance, it felt like more than enough.

Is it enough that Megill got into another jam in the fifth, loading the bases before getting out of the jam to end his night? It didn’t matter since the Mets weren’t going to score against Kershaw, who earned his 200th career win with seven spectacular innings.

April 19 - Mets 5, Dodgers 3

Max Scherzer: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO

Scherzer got the start and the controversial ejection. But the star of this game on the pitching side was another overshadowed hero during this 10-game road trip that’s already sent a starter to the IL. With the number of starting pitchers dropping and Denyi Reyes in Syracuse ’stretching out’ to be a spot starter. Maybe it’s Jimmy Yacabonis who successfully fills the hole left after the departure of Trevor Williams from last year’s team, when the versatile pitcher started nine games, finished five and threw 89 innings with a 3.21 ERA.

Both Williams and Seth Lugo left positions of versatility in the Mets’ bullpen to become full-time starting pitchers elsewhere. Williams will soon be back at Citi Field with the Washington Nationals. Here’s hoping Yacabonis can mimic the results that earned Williams the opportunity. The Elizabeth, New Jersey native showed signs on Wednesday at Chavez Ravine, mixing a dying changeup with a 94 MPH fastball with movement. Since Scherzer was removed for too much "rosin and sweat," Yacabonis was able to take as much time to warm up to start the fourth inning.

The extra time didn’t help as the Dodgers made sure a 1-out double by Jason Hayward didn’t go to waste, moving the runner around and in with a sac fly. But as the butterflies settled, so did Yacabonis. His sinker fooled certified Freeman, then got him to chase a changeup well out of the strike zone. He got two more outs in the sixth, including a game-changing defensive play by Pete Alonso at first base, before Buck Showalter came out for the ball. In all, Yacabonis went for 2.2 innings, but he allowed the rest of the pen to stay in their spots and his sacrifice shouldn’t so easily be forgotten.

April 20 - Mets 9, Giants 4

Kodai Senga: 5 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 4 SO

It’s only April and the only starter the Mets have been able to hand the ball to without issue has been the Japanese import who was the biggest question mark coming into the season. The questions around Michael Conforto and what he could do is why he is no longer a Met. As a rookie, he provided one of the sparks to earn the 2015 NL Pennant.

He’ll have that and serve as proof that the Mets’ farm system has produced quality major leaguers. He looked like a minor leaguer, flailing at the Ghost for the second out. It took 20 pitches to start with a clean first. Senga's first 1-2-3 would be in the third as he quietly cruised along, then following a five-run outburst by Mets’ bats that knocked out the opposing pitcher, Senga delivered a shutdown inning to confirm the Mets’ lead.

Using his Ghost allows Senga to surprise batters with his 95 MPH fastball, similar to Edwin Díaz using his 97 MPH fastball off his 91 MPH slider. Giants catcher Blake Sabol wasn’t surprised by Senga’s high fastball, taking it out to straight away center field. Senga followed with a strikeout on a 98 MPH fastball, but LaMonte Wade Jr. followed with a bomb to left-center field for a 5-2 score.

Another walk brought out pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and Senga’s interpreter for a brief conversation before facing Conforto again. The former Met wisely watched two Ghost forks that finished down in the dirt for a walk, bringing up J.D. Davis as the tying run. But this former Met got beaten on an inside fastball.

Mike Yastremski wasn't to be beaten, his second hit of the night brought home the third run of the inning. Then, Met Fan Favorite Wilmer Flores waved home Conforto on another Ghost pitch that reached the backstop. Senga was taken out with a 5-4 lead and it leads one to wonder when the next Mets starter will comfortably reach the sixth inning again.