Milwaukee – Mets’ Long Game Woes Persist
The Mets are still struggling with their long game.
Kodai Senga’s latest outing kept him in a downturn among the team’s starting pitchers, aside from David Pitcher. On Friday, Senga only managed to go 4¹/₃ innings against the Brewers, which isn’t ideal.
In the Mets’ 7-4 loss to the Brewers on Saturday night, Reed Garrett was utilized as the opener. This is a sign of how the team has not had a starter pitch through six innings since Clay Holmes went down on June 7.
Senga, along with Holmes, Sean Manaea, and Frankie Montas combined to give up three runs. While many of these pitchers have kept the Mets in competitive positions, they’ve also added significant strain to the bullpen.
Interestingly, both Senga and Manaea made their returns from the injured list within the last month, but the strategy to pull starters early often revolves around matchups in crucial moments. “The goal remains unchanged. We want to have our pitchers in the sixth or seventh inning if possible,” said pitching coach Jeremy Hefner on Saturday.
On average, the Mets’ starting pitchers have gone only five innings lately. Overall, they’ve managed 582¹/₃ innings, putting them 24th in MLB rankings. In contrast, the Phillies, spearheaded by Zach Wheeler and Christopher Sanchez, lead with 659 innings.
One troubling aspect is that Senga’s lack of advancement seems to run deeper than just surface issues.
Previously viewed as a potential ace, Senga has now gone five starts without averaging even five innings after his month-long recovery from a strained hamstring.
“I couldn’t push through those tough middle innings of the game,” Senga reported through an interpreter after Friday’s game. “The pitch count hasn’t increased much, but I haven’t been very efficient with my innings.”
Senga’s recent performance showcases the broader struggles faced by the club.
He made a fielding error, then allowed a home run on the very next pitch that tied the game. Following that, there were two walks and a catcher interference call as Senga loaded the bases before finishing with 79 pitches. The go-ahead run came in as Brooks Laurie collided with Isaac Collins.
“Some of it’s on us, but we know we can improve,” Hefner said. “It’s about managing what we can control—staying aggressive in the strike zone helps.”
Manaea seemed to be on track for at least six innings in his start against Cleveland last week, managing to pitch scoreless until he was pulled after just two outs in the sixth inning, ultimately allowing five runs.
Hefner recalled April and May when the Mets dealt with short outings but still found ways to win. However, he’s aware this strategy won’t last forever.
“If we can’t figure out how to get through the batting order the third time, it’ll wear out the bullpen,” he added. “We need to control what we can.”
