So the MLB version of ‘any given Sunday’ is probably the Mets losing Tuesday night in Colorado to the worst team in the National League, but in his open during a “Loogy and Lightning” sprint ahead of Yankees baseball, Tommy Lugauer urged to not let that get you down on the Amazins.
“The Mets’ season is not over, it’s just the beginning, so stay positive,” Tommy said. “I’ve heard a lot of people say you can’t lose to bad teams, but you don’t get bonus points when you beat good teams, and a loss to a bad team doesn’t count as two. They all count the games, and over 162 games, bad teams beat good teams all the time. You have two more games, win the series.”
The Mets’ current up-and-down since the break does show there’s room for improvement, though, and he has one idea that can maybe help the pitching staff: swap Luis Severino and Jose Butto?
“How about Carlos Mendoza, who has not been scared to make certain type of moves, whether it's moving Lindor to the leadoff or dropping Pete in the order, he’s not been scared and gone with his gut – so how about you move Severino to the bullpen and you put Butto in the rotation?”
Tiki remarked that Severino has never been a true reliever, which is sort of true – the ‘get your feet wet’ end of 2021 aside, his only bullpen experience was coming back as a reliever in the second half in 2016, which meant he still made four starts over the final two months.
But what he did do is pitch multiple innings in 10 of his 12 relief outings that summer, which is what Butto has mostly been doing since he rejoined the Mets in July.
“Now Sevy doesn’t have to throw as many innings, and they’ve flirted with Butto in the rotation,” Tommy said. “Remember when they stretched Butto out in that game that was a blowout (July 29’s 15-2 win over Minnesota) and Evan was having a conniption? They thought about it, and as good as he's been in the bullpen, he could be better in the rotation, so let's see where he goes.
Sevy has had two straight rough outings, raising his ERA now a quarter of a run since the break (and a half-run in the last week), and at 128.2 innings through Tuesday night, he’s almost 40 above last season and more than two dozen over the 102 he threw in 2022 – when he returned from, basically, three lost seasons due to injuries.
So if you want to save some bullets, maybe two or three multi-inning appearances a week, where it’s less strain if he’s pulled early, are a better use of his final two months in Queens?
“If you’re concerned with him and the innings, and the last two starts have been ugly, if you put him in that role where you only need an inning, maybe even two out of him, I think he can thrive in that role,” Tommy said. “It’s definitely unorthodox, and Severino was, at least in the first half, their best pitcher, but I would do it.”
His other point was that Sean Manaea and Jose Quintana have improved greatly since the break, and with David Peterson having five quality starts out of 11 and a 3.47 ERA, it’s possible Sevy would only be a No. 4 starter in the postseason, or even the head/bulk pitcher of a bullpen game.
Perhaps Butto, who has been a starter his entire career in the minors, could do the same, and Severino could save some bullets for a potential push.
“Try something, because I think there are a lot of Met fans that are concerned over Luis Severino here in the second half, and I don't have to tell you Yankee fans too that are listening,” Tommy said. “You've seen this with Sevy, and we're starting to see that older Sevy and that Sevy at the end of the Yankees career.”