The Mets are getting closer to being able to roll out the rotation they had imagined in the winter. Now, they just have to hope those starting pitchers can get back them back into playoff contention.
Left-hander Jose Quintana is making what could be his final rehab start Friday night with Triple-A Syracuse. He could replace left-hander David Peterson in the rotation next week. He’s on track to reach the expected July timeline the club targeted after he underwent bone graft surgery to remove a lesion on his left rib during spring training.
The rotation could get crowded.
“We haven’t said that very much this year,” manager Buck Showalter said Friday night before the Mets began a series with the San Francisco Giants. “But I hope it does get crowded.”
Peterson and right-hander Tylor Megill were supposed to be depth options this season but they’ve been used in place of injured arms. But they have both taken giant steps backward this season. Peterson was twice demoted to Triple-A and Megill is currently with Syracuse right now.
However, Peterson is coming off his best start of the season, having thrown six scoreless innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday. Peterson was able to work on his slider in Triple-A and having his out-pitch back again has made a world of difference. The Mets have identified an inability to repeat deliveries as the problem behind their struggling depth starters like Peterson. The Triple-A tuneup has Peterson more mechanically sound and better able to repeat the delivery of all of his pitches.
“Right before I left, I felt like I was right on track with the feel of the pitch and I think it’s definitely in a lot better of a spot now than when I left,” Peterson told the Daily News. “I think it’s being able to get that feel, but there are certain pieces of other pitches that almost help you to be able to repeat a certain pitch. Whether it’s my arm action on the curveball or whatever it is, there is something that helps with throwing the other pitches and kind of getting myself in a good position to where I can just throw the really good slider and not have to think I have to be perfect with it.
“I can just throw my slider and let it do what it does.”
The Mets have not ruled out keeping Peterson around after Quintana returns.
“Maybe Pete pitches well enough where you go, ‘Wow, let’s put him in the bullpen,’” Showalter said. “I don’t know. We’ll probably keep those guys starting.”
Peterson received the win Tuesday night, only his second of the season (2-6). It wasn’t the most efficient performance, but it showed some improvements the Mets wanted to see. It’s been a difficult season for many on the Mets, but the most shocking element might be the regression of Peterson and Megill. Peterson still has a 7.00 ERA on the season but now that the process seems to be working he isn’t worried about the number on the back of the baseball card.
“You can’t really dwell on it,” Peterson said. “I can work hard and try and get better today and continually over the season. I can get better and go in the right direction — the direction that we want to go in. That’s the biggest thing is just being present in the moment and focusing on what I have in front of me today, and learning from the past and mistakes and the bad results that happened. But also, you have to focus on moving forward.”
Non-alcoholic pop-up Absence of Proof is at Citi Field this weekend. Throughout the series against the Giants, fans can purchase tickets to the mocktail experience at the Piazza Club. All profits from ticket sales for the event will be donated to the Amazin’ Mets Foundation, which is providing a grant to Elmcor, a Queens-based non-profit that runs substance use treatment programs.
Two former Mets received pregame tribute videos Friday night. Third baseman J.D. Davis, who played for the Mets from 2019 until the trade deadline last season, played catch on the infield while his video played. Former outfielder Michael Conforto, a first-round pick by the Mets in 2014, watched his own from the dugout with tears in his eyes and thanked the fans.
Both are back in Queens for the first time since leaving the Mets. Former utility infielder Wilmer Flores is also playing for the Giants.
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