Frankie Montas will be sidelined, paving the way for the Mets to discuss their top pitching options on Saturday.
Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat have emerged as favorites for the role. Reports suggest that Montas was moved to the bullpen after some lackluster performances earlier this week.
Recently, sources have indicated that McLean holds a slight edge over Sproat, although prior to Tuesday’s game, manager Carlos Mendoza wasn’t ready to confirm his decision.
Mendoza has ruled out Paul Blackburn, who is set to resume rehabilitation at Triple-A Syracuse, which narrows the choices a bit.
“Everyone who comes here, especially the newer guys, we want to see them perform well,” Mendoza commented before the game against the Braves at Citifield.
McLean last took the mound for Syracuse on Sunday. If called up to make his major league debut, he’d be fresh after five days of rest. The 24-year-old right-hander began the year in Double-A Binghamton and has maintained a 2.78 ERA over 16 outings this season. He has also hit 97 mph in 87 and a third innings with Syracuse.
Sproat has had a slower start to the season but has shown improvement in recent weeks, posting a 4.10 ERA across 22 starts. He last pitched on Thursday for Syracuse.
“There are a lot of things I like about their development,” Mendoza said. “We are looking for consistency, whether that’s adapting to different pitches or handling left-handed hitters. It’s similar for both McLean and Sproat; their willingness to go deep into games and produce results is promising.”
This past Sunday, the Mets promoted 22-year-old pitcher Jonaton to Syracuse. While expectations within the organization suggest he may not pitch in the majors this year, his impressive 1.59 ERA over 20 starts in Double-A Binghamton certainly turned heads.
On Saturday, Montas allowed three runs, throwing 72 pitches across three innings against the Brewers. Overall, he’s struggled, with a 6.38 ERA through eight appearances.
Montas joined the Mets on a two-year deal worth $34 million, which includes an opt-out clause after this season.
“He’s transitioning to the long man in the bullpen, but we’ll see how it goes,” Mendoza remarked. “I’ve told him he needs to communicate with us. If he feels he needs extra time to recover, he should let us know. His usage is going to depend on various factors.”
The Mets have been looking for more durability from their starters. In Tuesday’s game, other than David Peterson, all starters have pitched at least six innings since June 7.
Neither Kodai Senga nor Sean Manaea managed to go five innings in their last three games in Milwaukee.
“Every pitcher is unique, but it’s important to attack the batter efficiently,” Mendoza said. “Our inconsistency for the last six weeks has been challenging.”
