How Mets' Tylor Megill Got The Nickname 'Big Drip'
Opportunity knocked for Tylor Megill when he entered the Mets' big-league rotation after ace Jacob deGrom went down with a shoulder injury prior to Opening Day. And Megill, a second-year starter, has risen to the occasion.
Through his first two outings of the regular-season, the right-hander has thrown 10.1 scoreless innings (best mark in MLB), while striking out 11 batters, allowing just six hits and issuing no walks.
Megill is having a "blast" in the early part of the season - and he also has a new nickname given to him by his teammates: Big Drip.
While his 6"7, 230 pound frame explains the first half of his new alias, the clubhouse has recognized Megill for having style and carrying himself with confidence as well.
“He’s always swagged out," J.D. Davis told Inside the Mets last week of the origin of Megill's nickname. "He always has some nice stuff on and is walking around with confidence. When he came last year (Carlos) Carrasco got him a backpack so then we just called him ‘Big Drip.’”
Megill showed promise as a rookie a season ago, but hit a wall down the stretch of his 2021 campaign. This could've been a result of shattering his career-high with 130 innings between the minor leagues and major leagues.
Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner gave Megill homework for the offseason in order to help him take the next step in his development. And it appears to have paid off so far.
"Simplifying my mechanics and being able to get the most efficiency out of my big bodied frame," Megill told MLB Network of his offseason adjustments. "Being able to consistently make my delivery and just dialing that in by throwing all three of my pitches for strikes is going to give me a huge advantage."
Megill also confirmed that Mets future Hall of Fame pitcher Max Scherzer has given him some tips on using breaking balls as well.
"He's helping me out and a lot of the other pitchers are talking and picking each other's brains," he said.
Megill has seen increased velocity across his first two starts. In 2021, the righty averaged 94.6 mph on his four-seam fastball. This year, Megill is averaging 96.4 mph, while topping out at 99 mph, per Baseball Savant.
After shutting down the rebuilding Nationals on Opening Day, starting in place of deGrom, Megill passed his latest test by stifling a high-powered Phillies' lineup at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday night in a 2-0 Mets' win. The 26-year-old tossed five shutout innings, where he gave up a mere three hits and struck out five hitters.
As manager Buck Showalter told reporters afterward of Megill's latest outing being his biggest test so far: "I think he answered it, huh?"
Relief pitcher Drew Smith helped Megill notch his second win of 2022 with 1.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen on Tuesday night. Like Megill, Smith saw increased velocity in this appearance, consistently touching 97 mph on his four-seam fastball, despite averaging 95 mph a season ago, per Baseball Savant.
“I’m trying to get on the Megill program," Smith told reporters after the game. "Red bull and two aspirins, that’s what he told me.”
With deGrom sidelined until at least June, the Mets are hoping that Tylor "Big Drip" Megill can keep the ball rolling as the season trudges on.
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