Saturday’s double header saw the return of Yoenis Cespedes to the line-up and Steven Matz to the rotation. Both had phenomenal days at the plate and on the mound respectively, and Sunday brought more of the same with the return of starting pitcher Seth Lugo.
The 27-year-old righty pitched seven strong for the Mets, allowing one earned run on six hits and two walks while striking out six. He threw 90 pitches, 60 of which were strikes in the quality start.
“It was fun,” Lugo said following the game. “All I was hoping for to go out there to execute some pitches and have fun.”
He definitely had fun on the mound, but he had fun at the dish as well, smacking a double in the third inning and eventually scoring the Mets’ second run of the day thanks to a Juan Lagares RBI infield hit.
Lugo, who went 5-2 with a 2.67 ERA for the Mets last season, will play a huge role in the Mets’ success going forward. His return will allow the Mets to have a rotation of Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Matz, and Lugo, while allowing them to choose between Zack Wheeler and Robert Gsellman for the final rotation spot. With Wheeler inching closer to his innings with each outing, perhaps it is wise to relegate him to bullpen work while the Mets have the luxury of five healthy and effective starters.
