This is a very brief post on opening day for the Mets.
It focuses on one topic – starting pitchers staying in the game. Last year one of the biggest factors in the Mets’ disappointing season was that the starting pitchers failed to go deep into ballgames early in the season. The burden on the bullpen burned them out and made the mid-season a disaster.
Buck wore himself out with trips to the mound, and the result of using 4-5 relievers was that one would always have a sub-par performance and give up the runs that lost the game.
This year with Kodai Senga on the injured list we have already lost one of our innings eaters as well as a fine pitcher that had very good success last year.
Next up is Jose Quintana, who was a bright spot last year when he returned by being someone that could regularly pitch in the sixth and maybe seventh inning. Quintana needs to be a work horse this year, going deep in most of his starts. With rosters now finalized, the bullpen does not include any names that I would put in the category of “long reliever”.
Here are the inning counts for the starting pitchers on the Mets roster including the injured Senga:
Kodai Senga: 2023 innings: 166 ; Best year: 180
Jose Quintana: 2023 innings: 75; Best year: 208
Luis Severino: 2023 innings: 89 ; Best year:193
Sean Manaea: 2023 innings: 117; Best year: 179
Adrian Houser: 2023 innings: 111; Best year: 142
Tylor Megill: 2023 innings: 126 ; Best year: 126
Given the still-underperforming bats the Mets displayed in spring training, this team will go as the pitching goes. The pitching success will be driven in large part by the longevity of the starters.
C’mon, Jose, eat some innings!!
