Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Tylor Megill delivered when it mattered the most for the New York Mets on what was his major league debut.

Next man up is a traditional and well-used phrase in sports, and it is one that has applied to the Mets on more than one occasion this season due to their never-ending plethora of injuries.

Be it to the pitching staff or to position players, the class of 2021 have had to be resilient in the face of seeing teammate after teammate drop like flies during the first chunk of the season, and role players have had to step up and take on significant roles.

Well, we saw another shining example of that on Wednesday night when 25-year-old Megill, making his career debut in the majors, looked at ease on the mound with the Mets fast running out of pitching options due to a combination of injuries and a recent slate of doubleheaders.

However, Megill ensured that an exhausted and overworked Mets got at last some relief at Citi Field on Wednesday night, with the rookie allowing just two runs on three hits and two walks while striking out four in 4 1/3 innings of work.

It wasn’t a debut that was fit for the silver screen, such as Wander Franco‘s memorable introduction to MLB for the Rays on Tuesday night, but Megill at least gives the Mets another insurance option while they wait for the likes of Noah Syndergaard and Carlos Carrasco to make their long-awaited returns.

With the bright lights on and the chance to salvage the series against the Braves on the line, Megill allowed a single to Freddie Freeman in his first inning as a big league pitcher, but he composed himself after that and got through the rest of the inning unscathed by mixing four pitches well.

Megill then retired the side in order in the second, boosted by the fact that the Mets were getting it done with the bats, and his first career strikeout came thanks to a 97 mph fastball that blew past William Contreras for the third out.

With the Mets boasting a 5-0 lead heading into the third, Megill continued his impressive debut by picking up two more strikeouts and, a Freeman single aside, he also navigated the fourth inning successfully.

Things began to unravel a little in the fifth, however, as Megill gave up his first and second career runs with Ender Inciarte crushing a two-run homer in to right field, and Megill’s debut officially came to a close after he walked Josh Tomlin.

The bullpen managed to get the job done as the Mets won for the 16th time in their last 21 outings at Citi Field, and it was fitting that Megill got a well-deserved standing ovation from the home crowd after proving he belonged in the big leagues.

“I got the opportunity and I wanted to go out there full force and make a statement and help the team win,” Megill said.

“I’m glad that the fans support me, and they are cheering for me. It gives me a great deal of confidence knowing that they are out there doing that for me.”

Go full force he did and such a composed outing on his major league debut led to praise from manager Luis Rojas, who has gotten used to dealing with a revolving door of player personnel this season.

“I was impressed with his poise,” Rojas said.

And Megill’s outing also drew kind words from superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor, who was impressed with the way the pitcher stepped up in a moment of need for the Mets.

“He definitely had nerves going but he didn’t show them,” Lindor said.

“He executed. He stepped up for us and got a W tonight. That’s always huge.”

The only blemish on an otherwise unforgettable evening for Megill was the fact that he was subject to a sticky stuff check by the umpires upon leaving the mound – as is now commonplace in Major League Baseball – but, that aside, it was a big night for the rookie who gave the Mets the starting pitching depth they so clearly need right now.