The Mets could use some sunnier days after being snowed out in Denver on Friday
The Mets could use some sunnier days after being snowed out in Denver on Friday
The Mets will play a doubleheader against the Rockies today
What’s Up with the Mets? ❄️
The Mets were snowed out of their game against the Rockies in Denver on Friday night - they will play a doubleheader today at 3:10 PM ET
The Mets are playing their second doubleheader in a period of four days, having split a doubleheader against St. Louis this past Tuesday
RHP Bartolo Colón, 48, is currently throwing side sessions with hopes he will have a chance to sign with the Mets (Héctor Gómez)
Today’s Games ☃️
GAME ONE
Match-up: Mets (26-14) @ Rockies (18-19)
Where: Coors Field — Denver, CO
Starters: RHP Carlos Carrasco (3-1, 3.73 ERA) vs TBA
Where to Watch: SNY
When: 3:10 PM EDT
GAME TWO
Starters: RHP Trevor Williams (0-2, 4.20 ERA) vs LHP Austin Gomber (2-3, 4.38 ERA)
Where to Watch: SNY
The Mets could use some sunnier days 📝
These days, the Mets are finding it hard to catch any kind of breaks. But the Mets aren’t exactly feeling sorry for themselves either, having won three of four from a good Cardinals team despite hitting a wall of adversity with their pitching staff in particular.
They once again played an inspiring brand of baseball this week as they face a gauntlet in their schedule over the next month.
Assuming the weather holds up in Denver today and the grounds crew (plus maybe Sandy Alderson again?) can remove the snow from the playing field at Coors Field, the Mets will be playing their second doubleheader in four days, their third in the last two weeks, and the fourth this month.
They’ve at least been able to map out a pitching plan for this series, assuming they get to play three games — Carlos Carrasco will throw in game one today, Trevor Williams in game two. Then Taijuan Walker will get the ball tomorrow.
From there, who the hell knows what they’re going to do. Seriously.
The Mets are already down three pitchers due to injury - Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Tylor Megill. Scherzer and deGrom are not even on the short-term road map while Megill does seemingly have a chance to return sometime this month.
But the doubleheaders aren’t helping a situation where the Mets are more or less out of starting pitchers to throw when they don’t have twin bills forced upon them.
David Peterson is an obvious candidate to get the ball on Monday in San Francisco - he last pitched eight days ago for Triple-A Syracuse so he should be a fresh arm who could give them some length. Then Chris Bassitt will go on regular rest on Tuesday. But the Mets will need to solve the pitching puzzle for Wednesday. They could opt for Thomas Szapucki, who pitched on Friday for Triple-A Syracuse but only threw one inning and hasn’t thrown more than five innings in any of his starts this season. Or, with the off-day following Wednesday’s game, maybe they’ll wing it with a bullpen game.
But right now which is just five days away seems like its weeks away in the distance. The Mets have a lot of problem solving to do on the mound before then.
In any case, the Mets have to be considering external options for the rotation. In the short-term, they need people who can actually pitch more than they need mainstays since they’re literally out of major league options, and those are the kinds of pitchers that become available either via waivers or in trade. The odds the Mets are able to pull off a trade right now for someone like Luis Castillo or Frankie Montas are slim considering both the Reds and A’s figure to wait until the market builds for those assets ahead of the trade deadline.
There is of course Bartolo Colón.
Cólon, who turns 49 this week, continues his endeavor to return to the major leagues. Héctor Gómez posted a video of Cólon in a bullpen session yesterday throwing nothing but strikes with a caption stating Cólon would like an opportunity with the Mets.
For the moment, lets just assume the Mets would consider this option. Cólon hasn’t thrown a big league pitch since his age-45 season in 2018. Yes, Cólon has thrown competitively since but he would have to go to Port St. Lucie, ramp up his throwing and stamina in preparation for big league game speed, and make numerous minor league starts before being activated and that assumes he would be effective enough in the minors to warrant a promotion.
If all goes well, he’s a month away at best. Again, if it all goes well.
With all due respect to Bart of course (because, who doesn’t love Bart and his passion for baseball?), that this is even a topic needing to be addressed just underscores the extremely difficult position the Mets are in with their pitching staff.
Billy Eppler and Buck Showalter have a difficult balancing act ahead of them as they search for effective innings from a thin list of starting pitchers and weigh that against the bullpen’s ability to give them probably more than what they’re capable of doing over a long period of time.
For now, the Mets will need Mother Nature to be on their side as they sort through this unfortunate mess.
Down on the Farm 🌾
José Butto (RHP, No. 12 Prospect AA Bing): 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 H, L
Ronny Mauricio (INF, No. 3 Prospect, AA Bing): 1-for-4, RBI
Khalil Lee (OF, No. 7 Prospect, A St. Lucie): 1-for-2, BB
Box Scores: Triple-A | Double-A | High-A (PPD) | Single-A
Around the League 🚩
Josh Rojas of the Diamondbacks slugged three home runs in their 10-6 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field Friday night
The Cubs unveiled a statue of Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins at Wrigley Field
2B Trevor Story hit a grand slam in Boston’s 7-3 win over the Mariners at Fenway Park
Former no. 1 pick Adley Rutschman is being called up by the Orioles today
Hall of Fame writer Roger Angell passed away at the age of 101