Lost in the mix of last night’s thrilling Mets win over the Philadelphia Phillies was the strong performance the team got out of their unheralded relief pitcher Sean Gilmartin.
Gilmartin, a pitcher the Mets selected from the Twins last December in the Rule 5 Draft, was able to come in and throw 3 1/3 innings of three-hit ball, while surrendering no runs, all after Jacob deGrom had given up six earned runs and exiting after just 2 2/3 innings.
With the team down 7-2, Gilmartin held the Phillies at bay while the Mets mounted their comeback. It was a lift the Mets certainly needed on a night where the ball was really traveling, and Gilmartin ended up getting a win out of it. On a night they thought they would be giving their bullpen a much needed break with deGrom on the mound, Gilmartin stepped up big time.
“You know he’s going to throw the ball over the plate,” manager Terry Collins said. “He’s going to change speeds. He’s going keep you in the game. He’s going to make them swing the bat.”
“When you’re on a staff with all of these power arms, you’re not going to get a lot of mention. But there’s a place on every team for a guy that just takes the baseball and does his job.”
On the year, Gilmartin has proved to be a solid and reliable left-handed reliever. In 39 appearances this season, Gilmartin is 3-1 and has an ERA of 2.34. He’s thrown a total of 42.0 innings and has given up a total of 35 hits while walking just 14 batters.
With the September 1 finish line only days away regarding Rule 5 players, Gilmartin has remained on the Mets active roster the entire season which means he’ll be under team control with no further restrictions.
Gilmartin, 25, is someone the Mets will need to stay consistent out of the pen down the stretch, and last night he proved to be a lot more than just a situational lefty. The former Atlanta Braves first-rounder has been a revelation for the Mets.
