Veteran Vargas to make 1st start Sat.
SAN DIEGO — Jason Vargas will finally make his season-debut Saturday. The veteran lefty will give the Mets rotation a veteran presence who can go deep into games and provide some leadership, Mickey Callaway said Friday.
“He’s another guy who goes out there and knows what he is doing in pitching the right way,” the Mets manager said. “He’s going to attack hitters.
“He doesn’t have the most electric fastball, but he knows how to pitch, hopefully limit the number of pitches he throws and gets us deep into ball games,” Callaway continued. “I am looking forward to that.”
A middling pitcher for most of his career (an ERA of 4.17 in 12 seasons), Vargas is coming off a career-high 18 wins in 2017. The Mets think they found a bargain in the 35-year-old, who had Tommy John surgery in 2015, signing him to a reasonable two-year, $16 million deal.
After initially saying they weren’t going to add a starter, the team-friendly free agent market allowed them to pick up a starter they think gives them some stability in a rotation that has been rocked by injuries the past two seasons, a second lefthander among power righthanders and ultimately a soft-throwing change of pace from the rest of their high velocity rotation.
In a way, the Mets hope Vargas will take on the leadership role that Bartolo Colon had for three years in the rotation.
They would particularly like fellow lefthander Steven Matz to watch him closely.
“Vargas, he knows what his stuff is. He knows the value of keeping his cool and shrugging things off and not letting things worry him,” Callaway said. “It is going to help him have success. It would be nice for Matzy to see another guy go out and do that with very limited stuff compared to Steven.”
LEFTY INSURANCE
The Mets claimed left-hander Buddy Baumann off waivers from San Diego Friday. The 30-year -old was optioned to Triple-A, but the Mets are looking for a second lefty for their bullpen eventually.
Baumann appeared in one game for the Padres this year, allowing five runs in 0.1 innings, but has thrown 6.2 scoreless innings in eight outings in Triple-A. In parts of three major league seasons with the Padres, Baumann has a 3.58 ERA with 31 strikeouts.
Callaway said the Mets will have to see how it works out in Triple-A for Baumann, but having the extra depth can’t hurt.
“Never can hurt to have that extra weapon,” Callaway said. “I think we have to always keep in mind how the rest of our roster works. To have lefthanders. You want to have a guy who gives you some length; we’ll see how it works out.”
Jerry Blevins is the only lefty specialist in the Mets bullpen right now. With a 12.27 ERA, he has allowed runs in two of his last three outings and struggled against the lefties he is assigned to get out.
NEXT!!!
The revolving door of young relievers turned again Friday. Jacob Rhame, whom the Mets think can be effective against lefties, was recalled. Rhame started the season with the Mets and was sent out April 13.
He recorded one save against the Nationals April 8 and posted a 7.36 ERA in four outings before he was demoted.
The Mets optioned Corey Oswalt, a San Diego native who made his major league debut in St. Louis on Wednesday night with 4.2 strong innings of relief.
The Mets, like most of baseball, plan on rotating young relievers with minor league options in and out of their bullpen to keep their arms fresh.
Callaway joked that in his major league career, he went through a similar back-and-forth.
“I got optioned all the time….so I think it’s something that’s been around,” Callaway said with a laugh. “When you need a pitcher, you go and get somebody. I do think teams are paying attention to having more optionable relievers on the team.”