Mets' Collins: Pitchers upset over six-man rotation 'got to get over it'
New York Mets manager Terry Collins said that any of his pitchers who are upset about the team using a six-man rotation need to get past it because he feels it will help the team in the long run.
New York moved to a six-man rotation last month after trying to employ the system earlier in the season.
“They’ve got to get over it,” Collins said on Sunday.
The Mets’ rotation now features Jonathon Niese (3-7, 4.12 ERA), Jacob deGrom (8-6, 2.30 ERA), Matt Harvey (7-6, 3.11 ERA), Noah Syndergaard (3-4, 3.38 ERA), veteran Bartolo Colon (9-6, 4.55 ERA) and newcomer Steven Matz, who has won both of his starts since being called up from Triple-A Las Vegas on June 26.
In Matz’s latest start, he allowed two hits over six scoreless innings in an 8-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday.
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Collins wants to keep the pitchers fresh in case the Mets are in the thick of the playoff race. He says he knows some of his pitchers, especially Harvey, may not be happy with the decision.
“I know he’s frustrated by it,” Collins said, according to the New York Post. “He and I have talked about it—we’ve got to be creative between starts. And I certainly understand it. He’s a tremendous competitor and he wants to be out there as much as he can on a regular basis.
“I guess the best way to say it is, ‘Matt, we’ll go back to a five-man, but I hope you enjoy watching the rest of the season sitting on the bench in September when we need you.’ We’ve got to make the adjustment, and Matt knows that."
New York’s pitching staff has the majors' fifth best ERA at 3.34, and opposing batters are hitting just .236 against them.
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The Mets (42-41) are 4.5 games behind the Washington Nationals in the National League East.
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