According to Matt Ehalt of North Jersey, the New York Mets have indicated that Robert Gsellman will make the team, and he will be the fifth starter.
Last season, Gsellman rose from Double-A Binghamton to be a revelation in the rotation for a Mets team that claimed the Wild Card. In seven starts and one relief appearance, Gsellman was 4-2 with a 2.42 ERA, 1.276 WHIP, and an 8.5 K/9.
What really stood out with Gsellman was his increased velocity. According to Brooks Baseball, Gsellman threw a 95 MPH fastball, which was higher than the low 90s fastball he was throwing in the minor leagues. Based upon his performance last season, Gsellman has certainly earned a spot in the rotation.
Gsellman made his spring debut on Thursday with two strikeouts in two scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins.
While there had been rumors that Zack Wheeler would start the year in the bullpen, the Mets have decided not to pursue that course at the moment. Rather, the Mets will have Wheeler begin the season in extended Spring Training. This will give Wheeler sufficient time to prepare for the 2017 season after his not having pitched in the majors in over two years.
At the moment, it is still unknown what the Mets will do with Seth Lugo. Lugo has been named as a candidate for both the rotation and the bullpen. Lugo has been preparing for the season to be a starting pitcher, and he has been slated to start the opener for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.
