PHOENIX — The Mets have not yet decided on a starting pitcher for Friday in Chicago, but they did make a decision about their rotation for the series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
With Paul Blackburn on the injured list, the Mets will use left-hander David Peterson on regular rest for the series finale in Phoenix on Thursday. The club is expected to call up right-hander Tylor Megill from Triple-A Syracuse to start Friday, but manager Carlos Mendoza said the team isn’t ready to announce that starter yet.
“There’s a lot [to consider],” Mendoza said Tuesday at Chase Field. “There was an off day [Monday] in the minor leagues as well, so we’re just making sure that everybody is in a good spot, and seeing whether they need to throw a bullpen and all that before we announce anything.”
Megill remains the most likely option. He’s on turn and has big-league rotation experience. The Mets continue to say his future is as a starting pitcher, despite evidence pointing to the contrary, though they don’t seem to trust him in an important start like the one Thursday.
The Diamondbacks lead the NL Wild Card standings and open the series having won their last six straight games and seven of their last 10. The defending NL champs are scoring more than five runs per game and nearly eight over their last three games, a sweep of the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Arizona might be without two key offensive players in first baseman Christian Walker and second baseman Ketel Marte, but the Diamondbacks haven’t missed a beat without them.
“They can beat you in a lot of different ways,” Mendoza said. “They’ve got guys that can hit the ball out of the ballpark, they play matchups, they’ve got some lefties off the bench if they can’t do some damage against righties, and then their speed. They’ve got guys that can create opportunities and they’re going to put pressure on the defense by trying to take the extra base.
“That’s a deep team.”
Which is why the Mets want Peterson to tame the snakes.
Arizona has two hard-hitting lefties in the lineup, Jake McCarthy and reigning NL Rookie of the Year Corbin Carroll, and three switch-hitters, Geraldo Perdomo, Josh Bell and Jose Herrera. Peterson has been one of the Mets’ best pitchers since returning from offseason hip surgery in late May, going 8-1 with a 2.85 ERA in 15 starts. He’s been even better in August, going 3-0 with a 1.71 ERA in five starts and going seven innings in back-to-back outings.
“It’s a little bit of everything,” Mendoza said. “Keeping him fresh after the way he bounced back after the last outing, and some of the left handed hitters that they have.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Right-hander Christian Scott (UCL sprain) continues to progress through his throwing program, but still has not thrown off a mound. The rookie is throwing from 150 feet and throwing his changeup. So far, there have been no setbacks, but the Mets won’t rush anything involving a UCL injury.
The Mets don’t have a target date for Scott to get back on the mound, but he should be able to throw from a slope “soon,” according to Mendoza.
Right-hander Kodai Senga (left calf strain) is “on his feet” and throwing with plyo balls, but isn’t close to hitting any major pitching benchmarks.