Mets' bullpen embracing 'all hands on deck' mentality
Mets pitcher Edwin Díaz reacts after closing out a win over the Cubs on Tuesday night in Chicago. Credit: AP/Erin Hooley
CHICAGO – Edwin Diaz didn’t so much ask Carlos Mendoza as tell him.
“Mendy looked at me and I said, I’m going back out,” Diaz said after Tuesday’s win over the Cubs, one where he threw two perfect innings to preserve a win the Mets absolutely needed to have.
But that’s kind of Diaz’s job this time of year: With his team desperately clinging to the final wild-card spot in the National League, there’s no use in saving the savior, even if it means that going into Wednesday, he had thrown in four of the Mets’ last five games, and warmed up in the one he didn’t enter.
That being said, Diaz and the rest of the Mets' relief corps are being subjected to the reality of human frailty – a treacherous balancing act that got even thornier after David Peterson lasted just 1 1/3 innings Tuesday, forcing the Mets to use six relievers in the first of this six-game, season-ending road trip. See, the downside to playing every game as if it’s your last is that, until Sunday, it’s not.
“You definitely rely on adrenaline a little more this time of year because you’re not going to feel good,” said Ryan Helsley, who, after a terrible start to his Mets tenure, has looked better, not allowing a run and only three baserunners over his last four appearances going into Wednesday. “You’re just so deep in the season and especially the amount of work that’s asked of you in these types of games - playoff games - guys are never pitching even close to 100%.”
After Tuesday’s game, that meant Mets’ brass strongly considered bringing in another arm, but “we’re banking on the fact that some of those guys that pitched last night are able to pitch again,” Mendoza said Wednesday.
It's a big ask - Diaz, Huascar Brazoban, Tyler Rogers and Ryne Stanek all carried big loads on Tuesday - but they’ve been amenable. Guys like Stanek and Brooks Raley, in addition to Diaz, have told Mendoza in the past that they’re willing to take the ball if needed. Rogers is nearing a career high in innings pitched and seems to be out there nearly every day.
The Mets’ 613 2/3 relief innings are fifth in baseball and, though the unit’s struggles are one of the big reasons they’re in this tough spot, they’re also one of the key elements to survival.
So, no, they don’t have the luxury of being tired.
“What’s been the norm earlier in the season is off limits,” Helsley said. “Every game is huge so guys are pitching maybe earlier in games or times they’re not used to, or they’re asked to go that one plus.”
Mendoza has no choice but to manage that way.
“It’s all hands on deck when we’re talking about who’s going to start, who’s going to come out of the bullpen,” he said Tuesday. “I can’t be thinking about tomorrow. We’ve got to do what we’ve got to do to win today.”
Taylor back, Siri DFA'ed
The Mets Wednesday reinstated Tyrone Taylor (hamstring) from the injured list and designated Jose Siri for assignment. Siri, whom the Mets traded for in November, missed most of the season with a broken tibia, but struggled in 16 games with the team. Initially brought on for his defense and speed, he committed two costly miscues in their series against the Nationals this past weekend, and had -2 defensive runs saved; he was also batting .063/.167/.125.
“A difficult year for him,” Mendoza said of Siri. “You got to the point where you’re activating a right-handed hitter that plays pretty good defense and provides versatility and speed [in Taylor], so…not an easy [decision].”
Taylor, a light hitter but a veritable black hole in centerfield, was heating up before his injury, going 10-for-21 with four doubles in his last seven games; he and Cedric Mullins will both see time in center, mostly predicated on matchups. Taylor started Wednesday and batted ninth.
Senga struggles
Kodai Senga will remain in Florida for at least the rest of the regular season after he showed little improvement during his 45-pitch live batting practice Tuesday; his velocity was still down at around 93-mph on his fastball, Mendoza said.
“He feels he’s healthy but it’s just not clicking,” Mendoza said.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
