PHILADELPHIA — Heading into Game 2 of the Division Series, manager Carlos Mendoza believed Tyler Megill was his best option.
Phil Mayton threw 25 pitches Saturday.
Ryne Stanek pitched 28 innings, Reed Garrett 23 innings and David Peterson 50 innings.
Edwin Diaz was already in the game (a bailout was necessary), Mendoza hit the tying hit at second base, and Kyle Schwarber struck out Diaz in his seventh at-bat.
A calm Jose Buto was in front of Diaz.
The only other bullpen arms not mentioned are Adam Ottavino and left-hander Danny Young.
That means he last started in the Mets' wild-card game against Atlanta on Monday, and on Sunday, he gave up the final hit to Nick Castellanos in a 7-6 loss to the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Megil was the one who forgave him and brought them together. NLDS in each game.
“I didn’t have enough legs there today. [in the bullpen]Mendoza conceded after Diaz and Megill allowed four runs in the final two innings. “You're trying to stay away from the other guys because you're going to need all the other guys. High-leverage relievers aren't the only ones going to be in the game, so I give them a lot. I'm going to ask you to take the outs. Everybody's going to have to contribute.”
Megill was left off the wild-card roster because he was a recent addition, but he made a postseason debut that you won't want to remember.
After Diaz allowed a two-run triple to Bryson Stott, he entered the game in the eighth inning and did his job.
He induced a soft grounder from JT Realmuto that should have been an out at home, but third baseman Mark Vientos deflected it, Stott scored, and Realmuto reached.
Megill then blew out Brandon Marsh and fouled out Alec Bohm.
After Vientos hit a game-tying home run in the top of the ninth inning, Megill returned to the mound for a potentially prolonged outing. There are no ghost runners in the postseason.
Considering other options, Mendoza stuck with a fully developed right-handed pitcher, even if Megill, who was in the starting rotation after a strong season, wasn't a reliever this year.
“There's no challenge. It's the same old thing — just coming out in a different role,” said Megill, who spent most of the day wandering around the bullpen. “At the end of the day, it's all about pitching. We just happened to give up one point and we lost the game.”
That “one” was a slider that caught Castellanos wide at the plate, and Castellanos flicked the ball to left, kickstarting a deafening celebration.
But Megill certainly regrets giving up a two-out walk to Tre Turner before battling Bryce Harper for seven pitches, but Harper also walked, which set the stage for Castellanos.
“He was cautious with Turner. He can take you deep as well,” Mendoza said. “And obviously you have to pitch with Harper under center. And we left that slider. I think it was too good a pitch for Castellanos. And it's also a good hitter and he gave compensation.”
This is a scenario where the Mets pay the price for a sprint to the postseason that has strained nearly every bullpen department.
