Baltimore – The Mets are gearing up for a crucial weekend as they aim to bounce back in their pitching performance.
Coach Carlos Mendoza is anticipated to return from the injured list on Friday, bringing a much-needed boost to the team.
Starting pitcher Sean Manaea is expected to play in his last minor league rehabilitation game with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday, before potentially joining the lineup in Kansas City on Sunday.
The Mets are considering a piggyback pitching strategy for Sunday, allowing Clay Holmes and Manaea to share the mound. Holmes started against the Orioles on Tuesday night but faces a two-week stretch without a game due to the upcoming All-Star break, which makes this weekend particularly important for the pitching rotation.
There are plans for Holmes to kick things off on Sunday, with Manaea coming in afterward. However, Mendoza has yet to finalize the pitching order for that game.
Kodai Senga is set to make a return, having been sidelined since June 13th with a right hamstring issue. On the other hand, Manaea hasn’t pitched at all for the Mets this season due to a diagonal strain and recovery delays.
Tylor Megill has been moved to the 60-day injured list, meaning he won’t be back until at least mid-August. Mendoza mentioned that this aligns with what the team anticipated when Megill first hit the IL last month due to elbow inflammation.
The Mets have chosen to promote Triple-A Syracuse reliever Alex Carrillo. At 28, Carrillo is garnering attention for his impressive 100 mph fastball and unique arm angle. He joined the Mets last winter after a standout performance in Venezuela.
“I got a call this winter from someone I know from Venezuela,” he recalled. “We reached out to the team, and they brought him on board.”
Carrillo has maintained a 3.24 ERA over 19 appearances in Double-A Binghamton and Syracuse, recording 40 strikeouts across 25 innings. He previously had a four-season stint in independent leagues.
“The other day, someone mentioned, ‘Where did this guy come from?'” said reliever Brooks Laurie, who is currently rehabilitating in Syracuse. “Did he play independent ball? Was he released by a Mexican team? I’m genuinely excited for him.”
