Reese Kaplan -- The Mets and Their Starting Pitching Are in Free Fall

Baseball is a difficult emotional ride up the hills and down the descents happening either gradually or in free fall.  For the New York Mets it has been mostly a steady uphill climb with a few minor setbacks due to injuries or slumps.  Still, after missing to gain the big W in a variety of series games the Mets still managed to stay alone atop the division. 

However, balance started to appear with nearly a full week of nothing but losses.  Once again injuries reared their ugly head.  Recently the Mets lost Tylor Megill, Sean Manaea, Mark Vientos and now Brett Baty all being unable to play regularly. 

The reinforcements like Paul Blackburn, an as yet unidentified 5th starting pitcher and other spare parts have not exactly carried their weight.  Then there have been offensive and defensive miscues from starting players as well.  The whole Francisco Alvarez question of demotion is filling a great many chat logs and podcasts. 

The eternal optimists are quick to point out that Frankie Montas is up against the tail end of his rehab 30-game stint.  Unfortunately we’re all aware of his horrific numbers he has posted against inferior minor league hitters.  Consequently while the Mets are in need of starting pitching in the worst way, Frankie Montas may indeed be the very definition of “worst way.” 

Behind him in rehab you have Sean Manaea also preparing for his return to the majors.  He has had three rehab appearances thus far.  The good news is his health, but the bad news is that in 2 out of 3 times taking the mound he’s looked not quite ready yet.  It may be that he’s still not feeling 100% natural in his delivery and this 30-game period is kind of like spring training all over again. 

Then to add insult to injury you have the sudden downturn in performance by formerly shocking Griffin Canning whose ERA has risen a full run over his last several bad games.  For awhile it looked as if he was prime trade candidate material for David Stearns but in a what have you done for me lately world his value is not nearly what it was in April and May.

So right now the Mets can count on just two starting pitchers — David Peterson and Clay Holmes.  

After that it’s Canning, Blackburn and a pitcher-to-be-named-later before they are obligated to bring Montas back to the major league team or convince the powers that be his health warrants more time on the IL.  

As it is most people feel he will not be entrusted to start games but instead will be the mop-up long reliever in games so far gone one way or the other that they can afford to take a chance on handing the former White Sox, A’s, Yankee, Reds and Brewers mediocre pitcher.  As a reminder, David Stearns signed a 44-46 starter with a 4.09 career ERA and a 1.309 WHIP.  For some reason he felt this guy was worth $34 million over two years.  Then again he thought Paul Blackburn was a good get, too.

For now many are wishing the Mets would make a deeper dive into the minors to bring up Nolan McLean or Jonah Tong to help steady the foundering pitching staff.  

While I’d like to see the best arms possible and for a long period of time, it would seem with two starting pitchers ready to return within a week and within about 3 weeks it could be interpreted as wasting minor league options on guys who have not yet hit AAA.  Still, the way the club is playing, something’s got to give.