Mets demote Tylor Megill to Triple-A Syracuse, sources say
Tylor Megill, who now boasts a 5.17 ERA this season, said “I just need to trust my stuff,” to end struggles on Wednesday, June 21, 2023. Credit: AP/David J. Phillip
PHILADELPHIA — Tylor Megill officially has lost his spot in the Mets' rotation.
The Mets demoted Megill to Triple-A Syracuse, sources said Thursday, a day after his most recent ugly start in a loss to the Astros.
Megill has a 5.17 ERA, 1.67 WHIP and a rate of 4.9 walks per nine innings — nearly twice his mark from last year. In a team-high 15 starts, he struggled to find any sort of consistency, never mind the dominance that he flashed at the beginning of 2022. He averaged 4.75 innings per outing.
Entering spring training after an offseason highlighted by major additions to the starting pitcher group, Megill was about seventh on the depth chart. He wound up in the season-opening rotation, though, after injuries sidelined Justin Verlander and Jose Quintana.
To take Megill’s roster spot, the Mets plan to call up righthander reliever Vinny Nittoli, whom they recently acquired from the Cubs. Adding an extra reliever will provide insurance through the weekend for a bullpen that has been shorthanded during Drew Smith’s foreign substance suspension (which runs through Sunday).
The Mets can wait until as late as Tuesday before they need a fifth starter. Lefthander Joey Lucchesi, who has pitched well with Syracuse lately, is a top option to take Megill’s spot. Quintana (rib surgery) is expected back in early July.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
