Reliever Tyler Bashlor keeps it simple in transition from minors to Mets
Mets relief pitcher Tyler Bashlor delivers a pitch against the Phillies during the sixth inning of a game at Citi Field on Tuesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Mets reliever Tyler Bashlor is a little more than two weeks into his major-league career and the hard-throwing righthander is keeping his assessment of the experience simple.
“No surprises,” he said Wednesday before the Mets’ 3-0 victory over the Phillies Wednesday. “Baseball is the same everywhere. A little nicer accommodations here.”
There’s no arguments the rules are the same and the lack of long bus rides are a bonus from the minors to the majors. And Bashlor’s simple approach has helped keep his composure on the mound in front of the larger audience.
“The first few days were a blur,” Bashlor said. “But every day I show up, I’m settling in more and more. It’s been good, everything I could dream of.”
Bashlor, 25, has a 4.50 ERA with five strikeouts in eight innings through his first four major-league outings. He appeared out of the bullpen the day he was promoted to the majors, June 25, from Double-A Binghamton, pitching two innings and allowing a two-run home run to Josh Bell.
Bashlor, who had seven saves in Binghamton this year, has thrown at least two innings in three of his four appearances. He said manager Mickey Callaway didn’t tell him how long he’d be in the majors or when he’d be called upon, but Bashlor has continued toward proving his worth for his roster spot.
“I’m just trying to keep my head down, keep working hard,” he said. “If I stay, I stay. If I don’t, I’ll get back here somehow.”
But Bashlor hasn’t felt the need to change his pitching style or approach much since his promotion.
“It’s no different,” said the 11th round selection of the 2013 MLB Draft. “Baseball is baseball. In the minors, they are professional hitters, too. These guys have a little better approach but other than that, nothing’s different.”
