Tylor Megill’s Theme Of Short Starts And Struggles Continue

The New York Mets have failed to get length out of their starters in nearly every game over the last couple weeks. Saturday’s 5-2 loss against Colorado Rockies was certainly no different. Tylor Megill was on the bump, preparing to make his seventh start of the young season.

Before he could even get settled into the game, the Rockies were ahead 1-0. Charlie Blackmon and Kris Bryant walked ahead of Elías Díaz, who dumped a single into short right field, getting Blackmon home from third.

After the Mets had tied it a 1-1, Megill gave the lead right back to the Rockies in the following inning. Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle had back-to-back base hits before a sacrifice fly from Blackmon gave Colorado a 2-1 lead.

The Mets’ starter was able to put up a zero in the third and fourth innings, but his struggles continued in the fifth. Consecutive walks to Randal Grichuk and Bryant gave Díaz an opportunity with a runner in scoring position, and he delivered. Just like that, Megil’s day was over, failing to pitch through five innings for the second time in his last three appearances.

“This one was definitely frustrating, to say the least. Obviously trying to get things going on the right page at the start of the game and came out and gave up a couple of runs. Three, four, settled in but I did not really have my stuff today, but just trying to grind through it and whatnot,” Megill said.

The 27-year-old threw 4 2/3 innings, allowing three runs to score on six hits and three walks in the loss. Megill has been able to pitch every fifth day since he joined the starting rotation, but he has struggled to pitch deep into games in a majority of his seventh starts. He has only managed to pitch through the sixth inning once, which came all the way back on Apr. 7 against the Miami Marlins.

Megill is now 3-2 with a 4.33 ERA and a 1.500 WHIP in 35 1/3 innings. The lack of runs from an offense that should be much better continues to be the biggest story, but the inability to get a larger amount of innings pitched from the starters cannot go unnoticed. Especially if those innings are usually a struggle, as has been the case all year long.

Megill’s expected ERA now sits at 6.26, a woeful figure, which has increased each year in the league. Same goes for his expected FIP which is also a meager 5.51. When you’re not effective, it usually results in short outings – putting more pressure on your team’s bullpen. Which, has been the case all season long resulting in the team’s struggles.

If the Mets want to turn this around, both of those things need to improve dramatically from a number of their starting pitchers.