CINCINNATI — Now that the Mets have seen all three of their rookie starters pitch in Major League games, it’s become clear that the team needs to move forward the rest of the month with the trio in the rotation. Currently, the rotation is decided series-by-series, which is unlikely to change this month as the Mets try to hold on to their playoff spot in the National League and jostle for positioning.
But right-hander Tylor Megill is nearly ready to return, Kodai Senga is expected to pitch again before the postseason and the three veterans in the rotation, left-handers Sean Manaea and David Peterson, and right-hander Clay Holmes, all have some competition now with the success of rookie righties Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat.
“Look, it’s encouraging, but we need the other guys to step up,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati after the Mets fell 3-2 to the Reds. “We need everyone here, not only the younger guys. We’re counting on Sean Manaea, we’re counting on clay, Holmes and Peterson and everyone in the rotation. So it’s good to see those kids coming up here and giving us a chance to win a baseball game, but we’re going to need them as well.”
Despite the loss, Sproat’s MLB debut was as impressive as McLean’s and Tong’s. He battled his own control at times with four walks, but he also no-hit the Reds through 5 1/3 innings. After throwing four straight fastballs outside of the zone to walk leadoff hitter TJ Friedl, Sproat realized he needed to start mixing his pitches. He threw a sinker, a sweeper and then a slider to the second hitter, Noelvi Marte, inducing a double-play.
“Four-pitch walk, not ideal,” Sproat said. “But I knew to get out of that, [I had to] keep going at hitters, mix and match pitches, speed them up, slow them down, and just try to get a ground ball. That’s what I was able to do.”
He didn’t have his best stuff, but he was still able to give the Mets six innings, more than the veterans have been able to give in recent months.
Sproat, who will be 25 later this month, handled his emotions well. Following the advice of veteran outfielder Brandon Nimmo, Sproat took a second on the mound before firing his first warmup pitch to take a look around the stadium and let it sink in that he had finally made it to the big leagues. A group of family and friends situated behind the visitor’s dugout were so loud they were probably heard across the river in Kentucky.
“There was one point in the sixth when I heard my mom. I know that voice from anywhere,” he said. “Super blessed for them to be able to make it. They’ve been my backbone since day 1.”
One night prior, Tong was challenged. He gave up three home runs in his second MLB start, one more than he had given up in the minor leagues all season. His demeanor following the loss showed how much the 22-year-old doesn’t like to lose.
Tong seemed to learn the same lesson Sproat did about throwing too many fastballs early in the outing. Though his fastball is unique with his over-the-top arm angle and the rise, Tong was much more effective after he started throwing his curveball and changeup more often. It helped him get through six innings.
McLean has made only one short start in four tries, throwing 5 1/3 in his debut against the Seattle Mariners. The Mets could have left him in the game longer, but wanted to offer some level of protection in his first game.
Relying on three rookies isn’t a fail-safe plan, but relying on a rotation of veterans certainly hasn’t been fail-safe either for the Mets this season. Megill has had two tough rehab starts with Triple-A Syracuse, allowing three earned runs on six hits over only four innings Sunday in the latest one. Manaea will make his next start Tuesday, but the Mets don’t seem set on keeping him in the rotation.
A playoff spot is not a guarantee. The San Francisco Giants are only 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot behind the Mets, and the Reds are tied with the Arizona Diamondbacks 4.0 games back. The Mets’ best hope for the playoffs is to ride the rookies.
ROSTER MOVES
Right-hander Reed Garrett was activated from the injured list Sunday prior to the series finale in Cincinnati. Right-handers Wander Suero and Kevin Herget were optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to make room for Sproat on the roster, and right-hander Justin Garza was designated for assignment.
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