METSGAMEDAY

WASHINGTON — After his previous start, Robert Gsellman had to issue an apology to Sandy Alderson. After his start on Saturday, the Mets' righthander was packing his bags.

Gsellman, who had to apologize to the Mets GM after responding that he didn't care when Alderson said he needed to pitch better, not only put the Mets in a hole early in their 9-4 loss at Nationals Park Saturday, but he burned the bullpen on the eve of a doubleheader.

After the game, he was optioned to Triple-A in part because of how badly he has pitched, but also because the Mets needed to make roster room to bring Seth Lugo off the disabled list to pitch Sunday and bring back reliever Kevin McGowan to shore up the bullpen. The Mets are 3-8 in their last 11 games and have lost 10 times to the Nationals this season.

Gsellman allowed six runs (two earned) on nine hits. He walked two and struck out one in just four innings of work.

That left the bullpen mopping up five innings on the eve of Sunday's doubleheader and that didn't go so well either.

Gsellman has had a disappointing second season in the majors. He is 5-6 with a 5.60 ERA in 16 starts.

“He's still a young guy. Last year when he came up, there was a whole different circumstances,” Mets manager Terry Collins said.

With Alderson using the rest of this dismal season as an evaluation period, Gsellman didn't do much to put himself back on the Mets' good side.

Wilmer Flores homered in the sixth and then drove in two with a double down the right-field line in the top of the eighth. Though the Mets had the tying run on base, Travis Taijeron, making his major league debut, grounded out to end the threat.

“It's very frustrating,” Gsellman said after being told he was demoted.