NEW YORK -- Coming off a decent enough road trip through Seattle and San Diego, the Mets harbored hope that this week, back at Citi Field, they might take care of business against the Cardinals -- one of the many teams they’re ostensibly chasing in the National League Wild Card standings -- and reestablish themselves as a playoff threat.
Instead, the Mets lost their first two games by a combined score of 16-2. Lacking enough quality starters to fill out their rotation, they scheduled a bullpen day on Wednesday, then ran through four pitchers in a 9-2 loss to St. Louis.
The second of those arms, bulk man David Peterson, allowed six runs -- five of them on homers to Nelson Velázquez and Jordan Walker -- over 3 2/3 innings. Despite a Francisco Alvarez two-run homer, the Mets never came close to rallying back.
“It starts on the mound, with starting pitching,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We haven’t done that.”
It was indeed another vote of no-confidence in the Mets’ rotation, which ranks 15th in the Majors in ERA -- not horrid, but not nearly good enough to overcome the other flaws on New York’s roster. So where do the Mets go from here? Until Clay Holmes returns from a fractured right fibula, which might not be until August, the team seems destined to continue with an undermanned depth chart.
Their options look a little something like this:
The rocks: Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Christian Scott
To be clear, “rock” is a relative term. Peralta and McLean, the Mets’ top two starters heading into Spring Training, have both been relative disappointments. Peralta has routinely struggled to pitch deep into games and has hardly flashed ace-like ability, instead going 4-5 with a 4.04 ERA over his first 14 starts. Both he and McLean have battled control issues all season, resulting in two of the NL’s seven highest walk rates among qualified pitchers.
While Scott has pitched better than both of them, submitting a 2.50 ERA through eight starts since returning from Tommy John surgery, his walk rate is also notably high.
Still, beggars can’t be choosers. If the Mets are to find a way to run up the NL standings, they’ll need significant contributions from Peralta, McLean and Scott. Lacking that, they’ll be in even bigger trouble than they already are.
The incumbents: Sean Manaea, Peterson
There’s a reason why the Mets asked Peterson for bulk innings on Wednesday despite his recent struggles: They had no real alternative.
Twice now, the Mets have removed Peterson from their rotation only to continue relying heavily upon him every five days. That’s because no other depth option has stepped up to take his place.
So when asked about the left-hander following another clunker on Wednesday, Mendoza replied: “I look at him as a guy that we’re going to need to get big outs for us. I’m confident in Peterson, even though it’s been hard for him. We’ll continue to trust him.”
That suggests Peterson will continue to receive bulk opportunities despite allowing six runs in two of his past three outings. Peterson, for his part, bolted the Mets’ clubhouse after Wednesday’s game without speaking to reporters.
Things are at least going better with Manaea, who has enjoyed a velocity jump in recent weeks. He has clearly passed Peterson on the organizational depth chart, with a 3.05 ERA over his past six appearances.
Been there, tried that: Jonah Tong, Zach Thornton
Neither Tong, the organization’s second-ranked prospect, nor Thornton, its 13th-ranked prospect, has pitched well in limited Major League opportunities. Tong has also struggled in the Minors, though the quality of his stuff is far superior to that of Thornton’s.
In any case, the Mets have already given these pitchers chances. While it’s possible either or both could be back, even soon, neither will inspire confidence if the Mets turn to them.
Other internal possibilities: Jack Wenninger, Jonathan Santucci, Jonathan Pintaro
Earlier this season, the Mets called up Thornton instead of Wenninger because they felt that Wenninger, despite superior stuff, wasn’t as polished of a prospect. Since that time, Wenninger has produced a 5.52 ERA in the Minors, walking six batters over 14 2/3 innings. Until he can rip off a more consistent run of success, Wenninger probably won’t see the Majors.
Santucci, the organization’s eighth-ranked prospect, has cut down his own walk rate significantly over the past month. But his next promotion would be to Syracuse, not the Majors, meaning he’s also unlikely to help the Mets anytime soon.
Then there’s Pintaro, who pitched well in relief of Peterson on Wednesday, allowing a solo homer as his only hit over three innings. A starter in the Minors last season, the rookie has served exclusively out of the bullpen this year. While he’s not fully stretched out as a starter, Pintaro could conceivably become part of the team’s bulk relief plan, though Mendoza didn’t indicate that will happen.
“He did his part,” the manager said. “That’s all you could ask there from a guy that’s coming up.”
As for outside help …
Unless the Mets find a way to bull their way back into contention with the arms they have in house, it’s hard to imagine them trading prospects for a starting pitcher. President of baseball operations David Stearns recently said he doesn’t expect trade discussions to pick up around the league until around the All-Star break, anyway, meaning the Mets will have little choice but to win with what’s here.