That’s now two starts in a row forTylor Megill that haven’t looked like the ones the Mets were beginning to get accustomed to from earlier in the season.
After “laboring” through 4.2 innings on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs, Megill allowed four earned runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out seven. Much of that damage came in the first inning where a run scored before the right-hander could even record an out and needed 28 pitches to finally get out of the inning after eight men came up to bat.
“Obviously ran into some trouble early there in the first inning,” Megill said after the 6-5 loss. “Quick runner on third and then just trying to make pitches and limit damage and obviously ran up the pitch count there.”
Following Megill’s arduous first inning, he pitched a clean second but was ambushed once again in the third, throwing two pitches which resulted in a run for the Cubs. To his credit, Megill was able to right the ship during the inning and struck out two sandwiched in between Francisco Alvarez helping out his pitcher with a pickoff at first base.
“I think probably after the second inning, [I] kinda switched the gameplan going four-seam and had a lot of success with that,” he said.
The final run Megill allowed came in the fourth when Dansby Swanson took him deep with a 1-2 count to lead off the inning. Of all the pitches he threw, that was probably the biggest mistake.
“Missed pitch over to Swanson on the 1-2,” Megill said. “[I] was trying to go down away and shot it up and in, right in his little hot spot for a solo shot. But I think after that I switched the gameplan around and had success.”
Overall, Megill’s final line wasn’t disastrous and after a rough first inning that got his pitch count up he only threw 77 pitches (50 strikes) on the evening.
A silver lining in what was a vexxing night at Citi Field? Sure, but Megill will take it.
“I think after that first inning, [I] did a really good job limiting pitches throughout there,” he said. “Obviously got pulled there in the fifth, but pitch count was kinda where it needed to be. After getting pulled, looking back at it after the first inning [I] managed well.”
Still, in Megill’s last two starts he’s allowed a combined eight earned runs in 9.2 innings. In his previous six starts, the right-hander allowed six earned runs across 31 innings.
It would be foolish to think that Megill, or any pitcher, would be able to pitch at the level that Megill had been pitching to start the season. However, in Megill’s case, the recent string of mediocre starts is only somewhat troubling because of his history.
Throughout his career, the 29-year-old who is in his fifth year has made a habit of pitching extraordinarily well in the first month of the season, as evidenced by his 10-4 record and 2.45 ERA in 17 starts in March/April.
In two May starts this season, Megill has a 7.45 ERA.
Obviously it’s a small sample size and the right-hander still owns a 3.10 season ERA and is part of a Mets staff that continues to lead the league in ERA.
In fact, manager Carlos Mendoza isn’t concerned about the two recent blips from his starter.
“We’re pretty confident with his ability, his maturity, the guys that we got in here,” Mendoza said. “… He was pretty good two outings ago. I think it’s just one of those where today probably wasn’t at his best and I feel like just the life on the fastball – I thought he got better. I saw 94-95 in the fourth and the fifth and he got some swings-and-misses at the top, but early on I didn’t see that.”
Megill’s next chance at proving he’s not headed toward the same path he’s been going throughout his career will likely come next weekend in the Subway Series when the Yankees host the Mets for a three-game series.
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