Mets' Tylor Megill pitching better, but Buck Showalter sees more room for improvement
Buck Showalter expects Tylor Megill to reach previous heights. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Tylor Megill’s results were better, but Buck Showalter said he still needed to see more improvement from the big righthander, who worked in and out of trouble against a light-hitting Pirates team — a continued demonstration of how he’s regressed this year.
“There’s still another level that we’ve seen that he can get to,” Showalter said. “He’s better than that . . . I want him to be more than depth. I want him to be one of the guys and he didn’t graduate. (Megill and David Peterson) didn’t graduate for a lot of reasons and they show flashes of it. If we take two steps forward and one step back, I’m OK with that, but it seems like we can’t get over that hump.”
Megill (7-6) got the victory in the 8-3 rout, allowing two runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts in five innings, and allowed a two-run shot to Bryan Reynolds in the third. The Mets, though, were forced to use four relievers as they played their 16th game in 16 days; they now travel to St. Louis where they’ll begin a seven-day, seven-game road trip before finally getting a day off.
“We pitched four, five and six innings out of the bullpen the last three days in a row without any off days," Showalter said. "We’re giving them rest but it’s right on the edge.”
Added Megill: “So far, I feel like, every time I go out, it just seems to be get better, get better, get better. I’m definitely confident that my stuff is getting better every time I go out there.”
Vientos hurt
An MRI on Mark Vientos’ left wrist showed inflammation Wednesday, and the infielder has been diagnosed with tendinitis. Vientos hurt himself swinging Tuesday, Showalter said, and is considered day to day. He’ll be further evaluated Thursday.
Diaz throws
Edwin Diaz progressed to throwing off the mound in the bullpen Wednesday — meeting benchmarks and showing strong signs he’ll one day reclaim the All-Star form that made him a dominant closer last year.
“He’s going to give himself every chance to be as good (as he was) and who knows?” Showalter said. “I don’t know how you can be any better than he was last year, but he’s chasing it . . . He’s done his part. He’s been a guy that’s showed up (for) everything we’ve asked him and then some. The only thing we’ve had to do is slow him down some.”
The Mets are still unsure if Diaz will be healthy enough to pitch this year, and have not said whether they would even allow him the opportunity to do so. Showalter has repeatedly alluded to the fact that Diaz’s injury — the complete rupture of his right patellar tendon suffered during this year’s World Baseball Classic — was severe and uncommon enough to potentially be career ending.
“To be at this point, they’ve really got to like what’s going on,” Showalter said.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
