Jose Butto has become a valuable weapon for the Mets out of the bullpen in a multi-inning role, and while Carlos Mendoza left himself some wiggle room, it sounds like he’ll remain doing the same thing for the foreseeable future.
“We’re open to anything,’’ Mendoza said of making Butto a more short-term reliever, but he added, “There are times we need his innings.”
That might frustrate some fans, who want to see Butto on the mound more frequently, but Mendoza believes he is too valuable in providing length, even if it comes occasionally in a losing cause.
The manager pointed to Butto’s two-inning outing last Tuesday against the A’s, which came with the Mets already in a six-run hole.
Instead of saving Butto for a more winnable game, Mendoza said he had little choice but to go with the right-hander due to the state of the rest of the bullpen, which he said had been taxed on the then just-completed trip to Seattle.
After Paul Blackburn was knocked out against Oakland after just four innings, Mendoza summoned Butto because, “we had nobody else because of what happened in Seattle. We had three or four guys down that day.”
It doesn’t help that other members of the pen are struggling, as Reed Garrett and Huascar Brazoban both gave up runs that led to the loss on Sunday against the Marlins, which cost the Mets a chance at a series sweep.
“Every situation is different,’’ Mendoza said. “I would like to have him available as much as possible, but games will dictate how we use him.”
The fact the rotation and bullpen are both impacted by injuries has made Butto’s ability to go multiple innings even more valuable.
With Kodai Senga — and even Christian Scott — on the injured list, the Mets have gotten some shorter outings.
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And Dedniel Nunez and Sean Reid-Foley are on the IL, with Brooks Raley and Drew Smith out for the season, meaning the Mets have had to lean harder on the likes of Garrett and lefty Danny Young, among others.
Butto has thrown 107 total innings this season (62 ²/₃ in the majors and 44 ¹/₃ at Triple-A Syracuse) after tossing 133 innings in each of his previous two seasons, when the 26-year-old was used almost exclusively as a starter.
Mendoza said the team will keep an eye on his usage, regardless of what his role is.
“Anything can happen,” Mendoza said. “But he’s a huge piece for us.”