Prior to Saturday’s bout with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Mets said they had no concrete plans to limit Zack Wheeler‘s innings the rest of the season.
A golden opportunity for the right-hander to show the team, and himself, what he is made of.
While this season has truly been a microcosm for Wheeler — inconsistent with flashes of potential — Saturday was another chance for Wheeler to get back on track.
And the 27-year-old did ultimately rebound, tossing six innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, while walking one and striking out five.
Unfortunately for Wheeler, who before Saturday had thrown just 7 1/3 innings in his previous three starts, the silent bats and suspect bullpen assisted him in being slapped with a loss.
Regardless, Wheeler’s performance Saturday was a step in the right direction for the right-hander as he ends his first half on a high note.
“That’s what I sort of wanted going into this All-Star break, was sort of getting back on track and finishing the first half strong,” Wheeler said.
With the Mets bullpen a huge question mark and the state of the starting rotation up in the air, the Mets need a solid starter for the homestretch of the season.
Wheeler, who showed positive signs earlier this year as he worked his way back from two years of Tommy John surgery rehabilitation, appeared to have hit a wall after a string of rough outings last month.
“We got to make sure everything physically is OK, which he says he is,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “Again, going back out and doing what we know he can do and seen him do is attack the strike zone with all his pitches. He’s been doing that. It’s just his secondary pitches haven’t been effective. He hasn’t been able to really get the spin on the breaking ball. We got to get that back.”
Collins added that the coaching staff has to get him to use his changeup and get it in the strike zone, so they don’t have just one pitch they can hunt.
While it wasn’t pretty for Wheeler, who did turn in a gritty and taxing start, he was able to power through and mitigate the damage to keep his team in the game.
“He was locating his pitches,” Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud said. “He mixed in his curveball, was able to throw it for strikes when he wanted to and threw it in the dirt when he wanted to. He was very effective.”
No one expected Wheeler to come back and be the exact pitcher everyone hoped he would be when they acquired him back in 2011, but for him to take baby steps and make strides towards getting back to tiptop shape.
Hopefully Saturday will be a foundation for the righty to build on going into the second half of the season.
