BULLPEN deSASTER
Jacob’s stellar start again ruined by shoddy relievers
ATLANTA — Jacob deGrom is an understanding man. Saturday night, the Mets right hander shrugged off the second straight dominant start that was blown by the bullpen. “It’s part of the game,” said deGrom, who struck out 10 and held the Braves scoreless for seven innings. “It’s unfortunate, we want to win these games, these guys are going to battle and do a great job.” At times, the Mets bullpen has been great in their hot start to the season, but they have now blown two games in five days. Monday night, they couldn’t hold a fiverun lead and took the loss to the Nationals. Saturday, AJ Ramos, Jerry Blevins and Jeurys Familia could not hold a three-run lead as the Braves rallied for a 4-3 walk-off win. “The bullpen didn’t make the pitches we were supposed to make,” Familia said. “I walked a guy. It’s frustrating for me, because deGrom pitched a very good game and we don’t do the job.”
The Mets’ bullpen inconsistency of late should be a concern.
Mets manager Mickey Callaway and the relievers are adamant that too much usage is not a problem.
“I feel fine,” said Familia, who was asked to get more than three outs for the fourth time already this season.
Saturday night, the bullpen’s issue was clearly control. They issued three walks Saturday and have now walked 38 batters through 20 games, tied with the Rays for the fifth most in the majors.
“Obviously the walks are a little high,” Callaway said. “Three of the runs that tied it were all walks tonight. Throw the ball over the plate, challenge guys, if they beat us when we throw the ball over the plate, then they beat us.”
AJ Ramos walked two in the eighth, giving him nine walks in nine innings this season. That was costly when Jerry Blevins, against whom lefties are hitting .429, gave up a two-run double to Freddie Freeman.
“That was a tough one. I feel like that loss is definitely on me,” said Blevins. “If I do my job there then (Familia) doesn’t have to come in in the eighth inning and he’s fresh and ready to go in the ninth.”
After attacking Preston Tucker for the final out of the eighth, Familia lost the zone. He threw five straight balls, walking Dansby Swanson to lead off the inning. He gave up a ground ball triple to Johan Camargo for the tying run. Ender Inciarte’s bunt brought home Camargo for the winning run.
DeGrom, who is 2-0 with a 2.53 ERA, shrugged off his second straight start with double-digit strikeouts being wasted.
“Nobody is perfect,” deGrom said. “We go out there and give it our all and as long as you can say you did that, then that’s what happens.”