BALTIMORE — Thunderstorms postponed Wednesday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, which isn’t exactly ideal for a team with a pitching staff in flux so close to the All-Star break. The Mets aren’t alone in trying to ensure their pitchers get the right amount of work before the four-day break, but a Thursday doubleheader will make that more complicated.
This means left-hander David Peterson, who will pitch the first game of a split-admission contest at Camden Yards, won’t pitch again before the break. The Mets knew that would probably be the case, but they’ve discussed ways to get their starters in games this weekend in Kansas City to be able to keep them on a schedule.
“Whether it was today or tomorrow, it was going to be his last until after the break,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday afternoon at Camden Yards. “He gets an extra day here, he’ll go tomorrow, and then we’ll see him after the break again.”
The Mets have not yet named a starter for the second game. Without a full, healthy five-man rotation, the Mets are having to piece together pitchers for nine innings every five days, but Mendoza has stayed solid on his strategy of managing to win the game at hand, so he doesn’t like to rule out specific relievers.
Last Sunday, the Mets used right-hander Chris Devenski to open in front of left-hander Brandon Waddell. Devenski hasn’t pitched since, so the Mets could go the same route if they choose to, though the likely candidate to be the bulk guy this time is right-hander Justin Hagenman, who started the first game of the Subway Series last Friday.
Devenski would love to be used as an opener again, should he be given the opportunity.
“I like the challenge of anything in this game,” Devenski said. “Where I’m at mentally right now, I feel like I’m in a good place. At the end of the day I’m here to help the team, so whatever team needs, whether that’s opening, throwing in the eighth, throwing whenever, that’s what I’m here for.”
The good news is the Mets will be getting two pitchers back this weekend. Right-hander Kodai Senga threw a bullpen this week in Baltimore and will be activated off the injured list this weekend, and left-hander Sean Manaea made his final rehab start. He’s set to join the Mets on Thursday before they depart for Kansas City.
Senga will start Friday against the Royals, while Manaea will pitch Sunday.
Thursday’s games against the Orioles will begin at 12:05 p.m., and 5:05.
“It’s part of what we deal with, right?” Mendoza said. “Glad they made a decision early instead of having to wait around here too late at night and then having [to cancel[ later. It doesn’t look good. So it is what it is. We’ll be ready to go for two tomorrow.”
