So the trade deadline passed without any major moves for the Mets, just a lot of stitching up the corners. Will the new guys make a difference? Sure, as long as the other 22 guys already on the team continue doing what they can do well.
Until he broke out with three hits last night, I was worried about Nimmo who wasn’t even sprinting to first on walks with the same gusto. And if you stayed up late last night you also saw Paul Blackburn make his debut, wearing No. 58 and ringing up his WHIP score with guys on base every inning. He persevered though, with the help of a couple DPs and generally wasn’t hit hard.
The other night it was Huascar Brazoban making his Mets debut, wearing R.A. Dickey’s former 43. Tyler Zuber has been assigned No. 54 but is still in the minors.
One way the Mets made room for the new guys was cashing out Jake Diekman and Adrian Houser, trading Josh Walker to Pittsburgh and Cole Sulser to Tampa Bay and releasing Ty Adcock. Will Adam Ottavino survive the pending return of Sean Reid-Foley and Reed Garrett?
I found it a little presumptuous at first for Phil Maton to walk in, take 88 off the back of coach Mike Sarbaugh, then go out there and be the first guy ever to wear 88 in a game in Mets history. Then I found out Maton has a demonstrated fondness for 88 since having it issued to him as a Padre, and that he was friendly with Sarbaugh from their time together in the Indians’ organization. Sarbaugh by the way is now suited up in 86.
Who knows with the bullpen but I’m glad we’re making some choices beyond the Tyler Jay, Ty Adcock, Danny Young and Matt Festa rotation. Also, great to see Jose Butto doing his thing only now in relief. He’s got some bulldog in him. The other guy to look out for (perhaps) is Shintaro Fujinami, who struck a buncha guys out wearing 19 in Spring Training. He might come back with Kodai Senga, who knows.