Mets Wild Card roster shows just how thin this pitching staff is stretched right now
By Austin Owens
Every MLB ball club would agree that they play the regular season hoping to have a chance to chase a World Series title in October. In most cases, this simply means doing whatever it takes to make the postseason.
The New York Mets have been the surprise team in 2024. They were able to tie with the Atlanta Braves for second place in the National League East and claim a Wild Card spot. However, to obtain that playoff bid, the Mets had to play a doubleheader with the Braves on Monday, the day before the Wild Card series began.
As a result of having to play 18 innings of meaningful baseball on Monday, the New York Mets pitching staff as a whole has been stretched thin, with the Braves in the same boat. We knew this was the case but after seeing the teams release their official rosters before their games on Tuesday night, things were really put into perspective.
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— x - New York Mets (@Mets) October 1, 2024
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Desperate times for Mets in Wild Card Series
With both NL Wild Card series starting the day after a doubleheader for the Braves and Mets, each team had multiple pitchers who would be unavailable for the next three days anyway. To fill their spots on the roster, both teams had to make some desperate decisions.
The Mets chose to carry two pitchers not many people have heard: Max Kranick and Huascar Brazoban. Kranick has not pitched in the big leagues since 2022 when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Brazoban pitched 19 games this season at the major league level but posted a 5.14 ERA in those 21 innings.
Visibily witnessing reliable bullpen options for the New York Mets dwindle, it will make winning two out of three against the Milwaukee Brewers even more challenging than it already was. They already got one. We will see if the Mets can ride that Grimace mojo throughout October.
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