Jacob deGrom may not pitch for the New York Mets until game three and it’s a mistake that could backfire badly.
Right now, Max Scherzer is penciled in as the game-one starter for the first game of the wild card round against the San Diego Padres tonight.
No issues there.
However, the Mets have yet to announce a game-two starter and there are reports that it could depend on whether the team wins Friday’s playoff opener.
While a loss would almost certainly give deGrom the next start, a Mets win on Friday could lead to the team gambling and going with Chris Bassitt instead.
The thinking behind this is to save deGrom and start him in the first game of the NLDS.
Typically, pitchers need five days in between starts.
I hear the argument and maybe it would be a better one if the Mets were playing a softer team with not as much offensive firepower.
Look, Bassitt is a quality pitcher – but is nowhere close to deGrom’s level.
And doing this against a dangerous lineup that features big names including Juan Soto and Manny Machado?
Also, getting runs off the Padres’ pitching staff won’t come easy as well, as the Mets are set to face Yu Darvish, Blake Snell and Joe Musgrove.
In a series like this, you need your best options.
Downplaying the Padres even without Fernando Tatís Jr. in the lineup is nuts.
And it’s unclear how effective Mets outfielder Starling Marte will be despite being added to the wild-card roster
He hasn’t been in the lineup since early September with a fractured right finger.
It’s certainly no gimmick series for the Mets.
It would be foolish of the Mets to not pitch deGrom pitch in game two and instead play him in a must-win game three where anything can happen.
While deGrom has struggled in recent games and had a letdown performance against the Braves – he’s still one of the best pitchers (if not the best) of this generation.
In his last four starts, deGrom has struck out 41 batters but has gotten himself in trouble with the long ball.
The Mets and manager Buck Showalter can’t mess around here against a team as talented as the Padres.
After today, the Mets will play the Padres on Saturday followed by Sunday (if it goes that far).
All three games will be played at Citi Field.
