Why Mets Had Right Blueprint When Assembling 2022 Rotation
After dealing with multiple injuries a season ago, which saw his historic campaign end after just 15 starts due to a UCL sprain/slight tear of his ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, Mets ace Jacob deGrom was always going to be a question mark heading into 2022.
DeGrom threw a live batting practice along with two short Grapefruit League outings this spring, and resembled a version of his old self again. But high hopes for a healthy campaign were soon derailed when it was discovered that the two-time Cy Young Award winner had a stress reaction on his right scapula, which will likely keep him sidelined until at least early-June.
Last year, the closest option to a deGrom replacement that the Mets had on their roster was No. 2 starter Marcus Stroman. And Taijuan Walker, the Mets' No. 3 starter who made the All-Star team in the first half of 2021, hit a wall in the second act of the season. As a result, the Mets had a slim chance of staying afloat in the postseason race without deGrom, and finished with a losing record after holding onto first place in the National League East for 103 days.
That's why new general manager Billy Eppler and the Mets' front office seemingly had a plan during the offseason.
Eppler and company went about constructing the rotation by adding two more aces in future Hall of Fame pitcher Max Scherzer and Cy Young caliber righty Chris Bassitt.
While the combination of deGrom, Scherzer and Bassitt has the potential to be a historic trio atop the rotation- if deGrom can make it back this season and remain healthy the rest of the way - the Mets covered themselves with two insurance options in case they lost their ace again.
And although It's early, the first three games of the regular-season has provided some initial evidence that the Mets could have enough in their rotation to hold down the fort until deGrom returns.
Scherzer, Bassitt and Tylor Megill combined for 20 strikeouts, while allowing just three earned runs through their first turn in the rotation.
In the club's latest win on Saturday night, Bassitt produced an impressive performance in his Mets debut.
The right-hander tossed six shutout innings on 93 pitches. He allowed just three hits, while striking out eight batters and walking one, as his team beat the Nationals for the third straight contest, by a score of 5-0, to open up the regular-season.
While Scherzer has a reputation for being an intense competitor, Bassitt also portrayed a bit of a bulldog-type attitude after his first outing as a Met.
"I don't care who you are, I'm coming after you," Bassitt said of his first-inning strikeout of superstar Juan Soto after falling behind 3-0. "I don't care about the name on the back of your jersey, I'm coming."
Pete Alonso's first home run of the season (No. 106 in his career) came in the fifth inning and was his first career grand slam. This was plenty of offense for Bassitt and the Mets, who shutout the Nationals to clinch the opening series of the season.
For the first time since 2012, the Mets are 3-0 to begin the season. Buck Showalter also became the first manager in franchise history to win the first three games of their tenure.
While losing deGrom was a crushing blow, there is hope that he will be able to get back to 100% soon since he is dealing with a bone injury, as opposed to a soft tissue injury.
In the meantime, the Mets put together the right blueprint when building their rotation during the offseason in order to cover themselves if they lost their ace for a significant period of time again this season, which proved to be the case. Bassitt's outing was the latest example of how the Mets properly constructed this unit.
Read more:
- How Mets' New-Look Offense Is Paying Early Dividends
- Why Francisco Lindor Is 'Proud' To Be A Met After Scary Hit By Pitch
- Max Scherzer Bests Old Team In Mets Debut, Offense Scores Seven Runs In Win Over Nationals
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