Brandon Sprout seems to be signaling to the Mets that he’s ready to step up.
But it’s uncertain whether Kodai Senga will keep his spot in the rotation.
Senga had another tough outing, giving up five runs over just 4²/₃ innings in a game on Sunday.
“We just wrapped up the game,” Mendoza remarked after a 5-1 defeat to the Marlins at Citifield. “Clearly, we need to get him back on track. We’ll talk about the next steps for him. Our focus is on fixing this. It was tough to watch.”
Senga initially had a strong start to the season, but after dealing with hamstring tension in June, he’s not been performing well, holding a 5.91 ERA over his last nine starts.
Despite having Senga already in the rotation, the Mets have six starters, making it uncertain whether Sprout will be called up. But, considering the current situation with the major league staff, it looks more likely that Sprout could make it, especially with his recent progress.
Sprout was seen as the organization’s top pitching prospect entering the season, but he faced setbacks early on, mostly due to competition from Nolan McLean and Jonah Tonn.
After Saturday’s loss, Mendoza noted he heard about Sprout’s performance that night.
“We’re keeping tabs,” Mendoza commented. “It’s nice to see them maintaining their composure. I think Sprout was sending us a message—’Hey, I can do this too.’
McLean and Tonn have handled their roles well, combining for four starts and four wins seamlessly.
The Mets haven’t added a seventh starter without a plan to adjust Senga’s position along with those of Sean Mania and Clay Holmes.
David Peterson, who has been a standout for most of this season, has struggled recently, posting a 7.56 ERA over his last five outings.
Mendoza remarked that the starting rotation is in a “fluid” state, with everyone focused on securing another start through Tonn’s upcoming outing in Cincinnati.
Sprout had a challenging start to the season with a 5.95 ERA up until June 22nd, but he’s since demonstrated improvement, delivering a 2.44 ERA with 70 strikeouts in his last 59 innings.
There’s also a possibility of converting Sprout, who pitched in relief last week, to a multi-inning reliever role.
Come Monday, as September rolls around, the Mets will have the chance to call up one position player and one pitcher.
It’s highly unlikely that Sprout will be that pitcher since he hasn’t had enough rest.
Among the eligible pitchers, the Mets are considering options within their 40-man roster for Monday.
Interestingly, hard-throwing prospect Dylan Ross isn’t on the 40-man roster but could potentially be added.
Tylor Megill is also expected to make a rehabilitation start before he becomes available.
As for position players, the Mets are likely looking at Louis Sanger Acknya, with reports indicating he’ll be promoted to Queens for added defense and versatility.
