New York Mets: David Peterson And Tylor Megill Will Be Keys To Rotation/Bullpen Success
In 2022, the New York Mets won 101 games with the starting pitching being a huge part of their success. There were the co-aces in Max Scherzer and also Jacob deGrom in the second half. There was Chris Bassitt, who pitched the most innings for the team last season. Also in the mix, were Carlos Carrasco and Tajuan Walker, who won 15 and 12 games respectively last year.
But let’s not forget the two pitchers who contributed to the rotation on a part-time basis. David Peterson and Tylor Megill. Both of them filled in nicely in the rotation when the Mets had injuries to some of their starters.
Megill actually started on Opening Day last year in place of the injured deGrom. Not only did he get the win in that game, but he started out 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA in April. He threw shutouts in his first two starts and also started in the Mets’ combined no-hitter vs the Philadelphia Phillies on April 29.
However various injuries sidelined Megill in May, July, and August. When he was activated in September, he made limited relief appearances.
MORE METS: Mets 2023 Preview
But Megill’s fast start in April was a huge factor in the Mets’ 15-6 start in April, which led to 101 total wins. When healthy, Megill proved that he’s a solid pitcher with strikeout stuff due to him throwing his fastball in the mid to upper 90s mph.
Then there also David Peterson’s contributions as well. He was 7-5 with a 3.83 ERA overall in 2022. But Peterson made 20 starts in 2022 and gave up 3 runs or less in 14 of them. He was in and out of the majors, having to be sent back to the minors because of roster space, and then being brought back to the majors when the Mets needed a starting pitch due to injuries to other starters. His presence and his pitching were of most considerable help when Scherzer was sidelined with an oblique injury from May to July, and Peterson filled in the rotation instead.
This season, the Mets starting rotation is already having its share of injuries. Newly acquired Jose Quintana is sidelined until at least July with a stress fracture in the fifth rib of his left side. Another newly acquired starter in reigning American League Cy Young winner Justin Verlander was placed on the IL on Opening Day with a low-grade teres major strain. As a result, both Peterson and Megill have been placed in the rotation again at the start of the regular season.
So far in their first starts in 2023, both Peterson and Megill have been fairly decent. Peterson was the losing pitcher in the Mets’ second game vs the Miami Marlins on March 31, but he gave up only one run in 5 innings. He did give up 8 hits but did a good job getting out of jams and limiting the damage.
Megill started the next game on April 1. Overall, it was a solid 5 innings, giving up only 2 runs and striking out 7 Marlins hitters.
MORE MLB: Mariners Top Prospects
Peterson made his second start this past Wednesday vs the Milwaukee Brewers and wasn’t as sharp in this one, going 4 innings and giving up 5 runs.
With Quintana out until July and Verlander’s return date uncertain, Peterson and Megill will be asked to make multiple starts early in the year. If they both can have good starts, as they did for most of last season, the Mets rotation will be fine.
Even when Verlander and Quintana come back to the rotation, the Mets can also use Peterson and Megill in the bullpen. Especially with closer Edwin Diaz out for this season, the Mets can definitely use more depth in their bullpen with everyone else moving up in their roles.
Peterson and Megill both have some experience pitching in the bullpen, having relieved last season. Both of them had mixed results. Peterson struggled early as a reliever but pitched a lot better in that role in September and October in the regular season, giving up 2 runs in 6.2 innings. Megill made several relief appearances in September and October and was up and down. Perhaps with more experience, both of them will be more consistently effective, if asked to relieve. Peterson looked much better down the stretch in the bullpen with more usage.
Either way, Peterson and Megill will be crucial pieces to the Mets’ pitching success this season. Neither of them may be All-Stars. But both of them are serviceable and provide flexibility, having been in the rotation and in the bullpen before. And these kinds of pitchers are always of big help to a team that is contending for a World Series title, as the Mets are currently structured.
