Buck Showalter just has to be Buck Showalter at all times, offering this nugget when talking about how David Peterson has had more relief work this year in piggyback situations:
“Has a piggy ever rode a back? Where’d that come from? I’ll have to look that up.”
What Buck doesn’t have to look up is that he’ll have Peterson and Megill, who have made 28 combined starts for the Mets this year, in his bullpen the rest of the way and in the postseason.
In the case of the righty Megill, that was made the plan once he started rehabbing from a shoulder issue that kept him out for about three months. It’s not a foreign concept to Megill, who, despite making 28 starts in 2021 across three levels and nine for the Mets in the first half, was a multi-inning reliever with Brooklyn in 2018 and at then Class-A Columbia to start 2019 before he moved into the rotation.
Megill’s first relief outing was rocky, as he allowed two hits including a two-run homer in one inning, but in two appearances since, he has retired all four batters he’s faced on 13 pitches.
“I felt like Megill would be better the second time out, then the third time out, and he has,” Showalter said.
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As for Peterson, who made 19 starts this season, the lefty’s bullpen switch came as a way to keep him at the major-league level as the Mets navigated several rotation injuries, and his six relief outings have come in three different types.
The first two, in the first half, saw Peterson enter a game in April after Taijuan Walker left after two innings due to shoulder irritation, and then enter a game in June in the fourth inning when Megill left what was his first start back from an IL stint.
The second two, at the start of the second half in July, were true short relief appearances, as the Mets tried to use Peterson as a bullpen lefty with few other options available and the rotation mostly back healthy.
And then came September where, after six more starts, Peterson threw 2 1/3 innings on just 26 pitches in a 5-1 win over Pittsburgh on Sept. 17, and then got a short relief outing to face a string of lefties in Milwaukee last week.
A lot of different options there, for which Showalter said that “Petey’s been pretty solid.”
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With Edwin Diaz closing, four strong righties in the back end, and probably Taijuan Walker and Trevor Williams as a little bit of a longer option come the postseason, Peterson’s role may be more of a lefty specialist, as Joely Rodriguez is the only other southpaw on the roster and only Seth Lugo has the reverse splits to be sort of a right-on-left guy for more than a batter or two.
Megill, meanwhile, may be more of a matchup guy given the composition of the bullpen, but he could also be someone who, say, bridges from the starter to Edwin Diaz a la Marian Rivera in 1996 on a day where the ‘pen is compromised.
Some undefined roles for sure, which makes getting both into as many situations as possible a priority – that comes after winning, of course.
“A little bit,” Showalter said when asked if he’s been able to “script” Megill and/or Peterson’s outings a bit, “but it’s about winning games and putting our best foot forward – and you don’t really want to be way behind and get them in. The priority is going to be winning the game.”
Still, he’s liked what he’s seen so far, and perhaps, with a one-game lead still in the division, Showalter is hopeful his Mets can end the weekend, and their last series with Atlanta, with a division title and a few games with less pressure to figure it out.
“They’re capable of pitching in any situation, and we think but it’s worked out well so far,” Showalter said. “We’re in a pretty good place; I’m happy with the looks they’ve gotten so far, and there’s time for more.”
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
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