While Logan Verrett wasn’t dominant last night against the Phillies, but he kept the team in the game and gave them a chance to win.
Verrett pitched six solid innings while allowing two runs and striking out four. But the Mets provided him with only two runs of support, and the bullpen yielded the game’s go-ahead run in the 7th inning.
After the game, Collins said Verrett doesn’t need to worry about losing his rotation spot, but he made it clear that everyone has to step up with the Mets now seven games out of the division. (Kristie Ackert, NY Daily News)
“At this moment, we don’t have a lot of options, but he’s got to give us good innings. That’s the job of any pitcher, to go out and pitch as well as you can for as long as you can and leave the rest of it be up to the bullpen,” Terry Collins said. “This guy has pitched enough good games for us as a starting pitcher that we think he’s got good innings left in him. We’re just hoping now in a more consistent role, he finds the command that makes him so effective.”
“So I don’t think there is any reason for him to look over his shoulder, but you know what? We’re in a pennant race. All five of them should be concerned about going out and doing their job. It’s not just Logan Verrett. This becomes crunch time and we need to pitch well.”
Verrett has done a nice job filling in this season, but the Mets are going to have to decide if he’s a viable long term solution.
His start last night highlighted some of his weakness as he allowed a lot of base runners with eight hits and a walk.
He was also burned badly on a solo homerun by Ryan Howard in the second inning, and he was helped out immensely by his defense in the 6th inning when James Loney threw out Ruiz at home plate.
Overall, Verrett is this season 3-6 and has a 4.21 ERA with 40 strikeouts and 28 walks in 62 innings pitched.
As the Mets 3rd round pick of the 2011 draft, Verrett quickly advanced in the minors and was taken by the Rangers in the rule five draft in 2015. He was returned to the Mets later that season, and pitched well as a rookie with a 3.03 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in 38.2 innings.
Verrett’s next few starts will likely be watched closely, especially since the Mets are in the thick of a heated playoff race.
With Jacob deGrom on the mound tomorrow, the Mets need to rebound with a win. They can’t afford to keep falling further behind Washington, and need someone to come through and stop the bleeding.
