Skip to main content

Zack Wheeler in danger of losing rotation Spot with Mets

On March 19, the New York Post published an article about how the New York Mets would finally trout out their “Fab Five” rotation of Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, and Zack Wheeler when the season opens next week at Citi Field.


It appears, however that those best laid plans are on hold now after Wheeler failed in his latest opportunity to nail down the fifth starter spot on Thursday night against Washington. 

Wheeler lasted only two innings, allowing five runs, three earned on seven hits. While he didn’t walk a batter, the fact is Wheeler was hit hard early and often as the Nationals scratched out a 5-0 lead on the Mets.

After 58 pitches, Mickey Callaway saw enough and pulled the plug on Wheeler, giving the ball instead to Seth Lugo to quiet the storm.

Lugo answered the call. He shut down the Nationals over the next four innings, allowing only two hits, while striking out five.

With Jason Vargas still sidelined by hand surgery to remove hamate bone, Lugo has now entered the conversation for the fifth starter spot.

Looking at the numbers and the performances this spring, Lugo has earned the right to take the spot away from Wheeler. Heck, Lugo deserves to be on this team, period.

Lugo has proven to be versatile, coming in relief six times and starting another game this spring. Through 15.2 innings, he has allowed only five runs, walked three and struck out 17. Those numbers are good enough to give Lugo a 2.87 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP. Not bad at all.

Very early in camp, Mickey Callaway preached versatility as a major contributing factor he looks for in his pitchers. Lugo fits the bill, showing to be both dependable both as a starter or reliever for the Mets in his two short stints with New York in 2016 and 2017.

As for Wheeler, he hasn’t been good. This was a golden opportunity for a guy who won his arbitration case against the Mets to prove he was the better starter than Jason Vargas, especially with Vargas out with an injury to start the season. However an ERA of 8.10 in five appearances and four starts is not going to endear much confidence.

Not to mention there were already reservations about Wheeler coming out of the bullpen, particularly on his arms ability to recover quickly.

If the Mets decide the Wheeler needs more work, he is going to have to accept assignment to Triple-A.

There is precedence for starting pitchers to head to the minor leagues to work on their mechanics only to come back to be a serious contributor in the majors. Just look at Steve Trachsel.

 In 2001, the Mets optioned Trachsel to Triple-A Norfolk when he was 1-6 with an ERA of 8.24. When he returned he was a totally different pitcher. Much more confident and affective in his approach, Trachsel won 11 games and lowered his season ERA to 4.46. At times that year, Trachsel was the Mets most reliable starter.


Can Wheeler be the guy the Mets hoped he would be? Can the Mets have a Fab Five at some point this season? They could, but it is up to Wheeler to figure it out.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Jets, Dolphins and Patriots Playoff Breakdown

Here are the formuli that could get the Jets into and out of the playoff party this season: 1) If the Jets win against Seattle and Miami, they win the AFC East based on a better conference record (8-4) than the New England Patriots, even if New England wins out as well. 2) If the Patriots win out and the Dolphins win out and finish at 11-5, the Jets would be 10-6, or 9-7, and probably out of the playoffs. Both New England and Miami would make the playoffs, with the Dolphins as a divison winner and the Patriots as a wild card. The Patriots make the postseason if Baltimore loses one of its final two games. 3) If the Patriots win out and the Dolphins and Jets split, then the Patriots win the AFC East. The Jets will have to hope that they beat Miami to win that tie-breaker and, further, hope that they have a better conference record than the Baltimore Ravens in order to clinch the sixth seed. 4) If the Patriots and Ravens win out and the Dolphins and Jets split their final two games, then ...
8 comments
Read more

Francisco Lindor Remains Red Hot as Mets Top Phillies

 Francisco Lindor remains the hottest player in Queens right now.  The Mets shortstop blasted two more home runs, including a three-run blast in the bottom of the eighth inning, Monday night to help propel the Mets to a 5-4 win over Philadelphia.   Lindor who typically struggles in the month of April is putting together a heck of a month. Monday's two hit effort was the 10th game in the last 11 where Lindor has recorded a hit. In fact in the month of April alone this year, Lindor was hitting at .311 coming into Monday's action.  On the year, Lindor is batting .284 with five homers and 13 RBI.  Lindor's efforts proved to be prophetic, as the Phillies Alec Bohm crushed a three-run bomb off Edwin Diaz in the top of the ninth to cut the Mets lead to a single run. Fortunately for New York, Diaz was able to shut the door with strikeouts of Trea Turner and Bryce Harper.  New York (16-7) has now won five in a row.  
Post a Comment
Read more

Mets Keep Rolling into Phillies Series

 The New York Mets are feeling pretty good about things right now!  The Amazin's swept a four game series from the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday, winning 7-4 Sunday afternoon. It was the first time since 1986 that the Amazin's had swept such a series from St. Louis. We all know what happened later that season.    Well, not to get too far ahead of ourselves, because the 2025 version now faces a very stiff challenge. The Mets will face their arch rivals the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday with only two games separating the two teams in the NL East.  The Mets took out Philly in the NLDS last October, so this figures to be a heck of showdown. The Mets begin a month long stretch against teams that are likely postseason contenders like the Phillies, D-Backs, Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, and Dodgers.  If the Mets (15-7) are this good, we will know for sure in a month.
Post a Comment
Read more