‘O’ SO GOOD FOR METS
Oswalt, offense come through as Amazin’s fry Fish in Miami:
If Tuesday night was a test for Corey Oswalt to continue starting for the Mets, he just may have passed. Oswalt pitched in place of David Peterson, who was a late scratch from his fifth start of the year due to what the Mets are calling left shoulder fatigue. The righthander went 4.1 innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits with no walks and four strikeouts in the Mets’ 8-3 win over the Marlins. Tuesday night was the most encouraging outing the Amazin’s had seen from Oswalt this year.
“I found out I was starting when I got to the ballpark today,” Oswalt said.
“I’ve been in a situation like this before so I was ready to go when my name was called.”
The Mets offense, perhaps sensing the need to produce for a rotation that is constantly in a state of flux, broke out for nine hits with three home runs from Amed Rosario, J.D. Davis and Brandon Nimmo. The Mets centerfielder leads the National League with 22 walks and is enjoying a .913 OPS with four home runs and eight RBI on the season. Nimmo’s batting .321 over his last seven games.
Rosario’s solo shot to left field in the seventh traveled 434 feet, one of his longest career home runs, and his two-run single helped prompt the Mets’ fourrun rally in the eighth. The shortstop needed to get back on track after entering the day batting .200 in August. Rosario lifted his RBI total to eight after his 2-for-4 day at the plate.
Manager Luis Rojas said Rosario needs to continue trusting his approach at the plate to stay consistent and minimize the number of pitches he chases.
“I’ve been keeping a positive attitude,” Rosario said. “I know with the work that I put in, eventually the results would show, like today.”
The last time fans saw Oswalt in a big-league game, the 26year-old had coughed up five runs on seven hits in four innings of relief against the Braves during the Mets’ opening series of the year on July 26. That night, after Rick Porcello gave up seven runs in two-plus innings, Oswalt came in and surrendered three home runs as he struggled to limit the damage.
But in Miami on Tuesday, his first start for the Mets since Sept. 28, 2018, Oswalt escaped a shaky fourth inning having allowed just two earned runs despite three hits and a hit batter. The righty had retired nine straight batters from the first inning to the fourth, until Matt Joyce lined a one-out double to right field and Oswalt found himself in a jam.
And yet, there was obvious improvement from Oswalt in his second game of the season for the Mets. If the righty can remain consistent, he might get more looks in the rotation as Peterson continues battling a sore left shoulder, Michael Wacha sits on the IL with right shoulder inflammation and Steven Matz struggles to find his form. As of Tuesday night, the Mets had not committed to Matz starting on Thursday for his scheduled turn through the rotation, but the Amazin’s lack depth options in his place.
If Matz blows what will likely be his last chance to turn his luck around on the hill this week, Oswalt may become a regular option for the Mets going forward. But, as always, Oswalt’s usage depends on the timeline and recovery of his fellow teammates.
“He gave us a lot,” Rojas said of Oswalt. “For him to find out late that he was going to get the start tonight and go out there and do that, it just shows that he was prepared and he’s been focused for when he got the chance.”