3 important starting rotation questions the Mets will need to address in the coming weeks
Christian Scott’s awesome debut for the New York Mets raised more questions than it answered. While a replacement for Adrian Houser in some regards, it’s not exactly a direct one-to-one. Scott was going to get the start regardless because of the lack of off-days for the Mets during their current stretch. The team had planned to use a six-man rotation at times this year. Scott and his hot start in Triple-A made him the obvious choice to get his feet wet.
The successful outing should have Scott lingering around on the MLB roster a little longer. But it doesn’t answer some of the questions about the rotation in the back of our minds.
1) Who gets the boot from the Mets rotation when Kodai Senga returns?
The Mets prepared themselves with more bodies than roster spots they had. Joey Lucchesi may never get an opportunity to reach the big leagues again with this ball club. Tylor Megill and David Peterson are ahead of him on the depth chart and working their way back.
More importantly is the return of Kodai Senga. The ace we’ve yet to see take the mound for the club in 2024 could return as early as late May although sometime in June feels more realistic. In either case, someone will have to get the boot from the rotation to make room.
It’s far too early to make any assumptions. After all, the Mets have a rotation filled with injury-prone players. That can quickly solve one of those questions. What if, by some miracle, everyone is healthy. Then what?
The performance of Scott and Jose Butto over the next few weeks will weigh heavily into any decision. Each has been brilliant albeit with Scott just one start under his belt. The easy thing to do is send one of them down for Senga. That isn’t how these Mets have operated.
Over the next several weeks, the other starters will need to prove themselves worthy. Although his abilities would probably translate the worst in a relief role, Jose Quintana and his typical limited number of innings he can go would be a personal preferred choice. Unfortunately, it also puts him in a bullpen alongside Houser.
This is one of those upcoming questions we’ll know more about as it nears.
2) How do they utilize a six-man rotation around a roster without much flexibility?
The Mets lack roster flexibility—a problem they’ve solved at times only a tad since Opening Day. Adrian Houser moving to the bullpen isn’t something they will need to force. If he can’t be a competent relief pitcher even as a mop-up guy, he needs to go. No one, right now, needs to take up roster space.
In the bullpen, the Mets have essentially one movable part. Reed Garrett does have options, however, he has been far too excellent to consider sending down. Sean Reid-Foley has been too good to DFA, too.
A six-man rotation will shorten any team’s bullpen, unless the Mets opt to make it a much bigger scheme. It’s probably the only way the Mets can get it to work. With Drew Smith bound to take the roster spot away from the optional bullpen spot when he returns from the IL, the Mets will have to creatively option and recall players like Scott and Butto as needed. MLB requires 10 days before a player can be recalled outside of being an injury replacement. In which case, it helps to have a third option if the team wants a consistent group of six spots.
It’s very easy to do although it requires constant roster manipulation. Add Tylor Megill and David Peterson into the mix. Allow Joey Lucchesi to be the emergency option when the timing or performance doesn’t line up.
Carrying six starting pitchers will never be necessary for the Mets. It’ll be a constant cycle. Scott might start one day and get sent down the next only to be replaced by a reliever who will then get replaced by a starter immediately when he is needed. Then a second reliever replaces him and a second starter replaces this guy.
It’s dizzying but it can work. Let’s just hope everyone is performing and amenable to the plan.
3) How much do the Mets limit Christian Scott?
A six-man rotation will do more than let the veterans rest and recover. It’ll limit the youngsters who might not be as used to the long haul of a season. Scott, in particular, is someone fans wouldn’t mind being handled with kid’s gloves.
How much will the Mets hold him back? Although Butto is a bit of a kid in our minds still, his minor league options are over with after this season and we shouldn’t expect the Mets to be too sensitive there. This is already his third year with MLB experience. It’s time for him to rise up.
Other pitching prospects could find their way to the MLB roster at some point and caution needs to be considered. Falling out of a pennant race makes it easier as there’s far less of a reason to push anyone harder than they need to go.
But who is signing up for a year like this? As accepted as it became by Mets fans for the team to use this year to transition to greener pastures, they’ve been better than many hoped—lumps and all.
Scott’s debut came much earlier than expected. A career-high of 87.2 innings and no other season in college or the pros over 60, we should fully expect some sort of stopping point for the 24-year-old. Helping the Mets win games in 2024 is important, but the tragedy of him not being available in 2025 is too much to bear.
Calling up Scott was a bit of a Hail Mary by the Mets. They should try to squeeze every win they can out of him. He should’ve gotten one on Saturday already.
This article was originally published on risingapple.com as 3 important starting rotation questions the Mets will need to address in the coming weeks.