Solid Oswalt start wasted
Matz throws simulated game as he nears return from injury
MIAMI — Corey Oswalt would have to wear glitter on his uniform to be considered flashy, but the rookie right-hander is getting enough outs to keep the Mets confident he can fit this rotation in some manner. Saturday night he was long removed from the game by the time Bryan Holaday delivered a walkoff RBI double in the 11th inning against Jacob Rhame that gave the Marlins a 4-3 victory over the Mets. But Oswalt’s positives outweighed letdowns by an inconsistent lineup that has sputtered for much of the season.
Oswalt kept the Mets competitive by allowing three earned runs on six hits and one walk over six innings. It was a fifth straight start in which the rookie right-hander allowed three runs or fewer and lasted at least five innings.
In his past six starts Oswalt had pitched to a 3.94 ERA, mostly filling in for Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. But Syndergaard has returned to the rotation after a disabled list stint, and Matz is set to resume following two missed starts with arm discomfort. All indications are manager Mickey Callaway will now employ a sixman rotation that includes Oswalt, with an eye toward keeping everybody fresh.
“As long as [Oswalt] keeps on being deserving we have to consider it,” Callaway said.
A defensive lapse may have sabotaged Oswalt’s shot at the win. In the fourth, the pitcher hesitated throwing to second on Brian Anderson’s comebacker, and the delay cost the Mets an inning-ending double play. The Marlins followed with two runs in the inning. Oswalt said he became confused when Jeff McNeil approached second base following the Anderson comebacker; Amed Rosario was supposed to be the target. Oswalt ultimately threw to Rosario.
“It was just a little miscommunication,” Oswalt said. “I should have just thrown it.”
The Mets went the fi- nal seven innings without scoring, barely threatening the Marlins in the process. Their best chance came in the 10th on Wilmer Flores’ two-out double, but after Michael Conforto was intentionally walked, Brandon Nimmo was retired.
Rhame entered following two scoreless innings in relief by Tyler Bashlor and allowed a leadoff single to Miguel Rojas in the 11th.
J.T. Realmuto’s RBI single in the fifth against Oswalt had tied it 3-3.
Todd Frazier ripped a basesloaded double against Dan Straily in the third that scored all three runners. Nimmo’s walk was a key play in the inning, after plate umpire Ed Hickox appeared to
miss a called third strike.
MIAMI — Steven Matz is thankful the Mets took the conservative route with his recent arm discomfort.
The Mets lefty threw 56 pitches in a simulated game Saturday at Marlins Park before the Mets’ 4-3, 11-inning loss and is set for a return to the rotation barring any discomfort Sunday.
Team officials were initially uncertain last week whether Matz would need a DL stint after an MRI exam detected no struc- tural damage to his elbow — a strained flexor pronator in his left arm was diagnosed — but ultimately played it safe. Matz missed two turns in the rotation.
“It was still a little sore going into [the DL stint] and it was something I got with the trainers and we just worked through,” Matz said. “Today I woke up and it was the best I felt and I got on the mound and it felt really good, so I am glad they took one step back and really tried to build me back up.”
Matz is expected to return Thursday to pitch in a doubleheader at Philadelphia. Manager Mickey Callaway has indicated the team may employ a sixman rotation that would allow Corey Oswalt to remain in the mix.
Jay Bruce will likely begin a minor league rehab assignment in the middle of this week, according to Callaway. Bruce, who has been on the disabled list since June 18 with hip discomfort, will see time in the outfield and at first base after he rejoins the Mets.
Franklyn Kilome, who was acquired in the trade that sent Asdrubal Cabrera to the Phillies, struck out 10 batters over 6 2/3 innings for Double-A Binghamton at Reading on Friday. The right-hander has a 2.95 ERA with 20 strikeouts in three starts for Binghamton.
The Mets bullpen entered play with a 1.59 ERA in August, the third-lowest mark in the majors. For the season the Mets ranked 26th with a 4.82 ERA.