Since April 12, Zack Wheeler had started 11 games in which he went at least six innings, going seven innings in eight of them including each of the last four. Looking to continue that trend and save the bullpen for the second game of a doubleheader, Wheeler failed miserably in the Mets eventual 12-5 loss to the Yankees.
Not able to make it out of the 5th inning, Wheeler allowed nine runs (five earned) on 10 hits and one walk, striking out six. He threw 94 pitches (60 strikes) as his season ERA balloons to 4.87.
“It was a tough one to swallow,” Wheeler said after the game. “I made some pitches when I had to. They also hit some good pitches and I left some balls over the plate… I was pretty frustrated out there, but what are you going to do?”
Wheeler was given a 4-1 lead thanks to a Jeff McNeil three-run home run, but let it get away in a big way. While he didn’t get much help from his defense, he gave up some very hard-hit balls, including two home runs from Gio Urshela and Luke Voit in the fourth inning.
“Fastball was about the only thing I had going for me. That and the curveball,” Wheeler said. “Physically, I felt fine.”
Coming off a breakout 2018 season, Wheeler has struggled for the most part in 2019, as have the rest of the Mets starters. In 88.2 innings he has struck out 99 batters and walked 26, which are good numbers, however, his 13 home runs allowed is cause for concern. Even with the massive uptick of home runs around the league, someone with Wheeler’s movement giving up this many hard-hit balls is troubling.
Wheeler will likely take the hill Sunday against the Cardinals at Citi Field, with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 PM ET. The Cardinals have been struggling of late, so if Wheeler is going to right the ship against them, he is facing them at the right time.
