Wahl impresses in Mets debut
If first impressions — regardless of how long — are important, figure Bobby Wahl made a good one with the Mets.
“I really liked Wahl’s stuff,” said manager Mickey Callaway after Wahl, 26, part of the return from Oakland for Jeurys Familia, retired the only two batters he faced in his Mets debut Thursday during a 4-2 loss to the Braves at Citi Field. “He’s got ability to pitch up in the zone. Saw a good curveball right there at the end to strike [Johan] Camargo out. Looks like he has a lot of life and it looks like he goes out and attacks. Now obviously short sample, but he looked really good.”
Wahl needed just nine pitches in his first MLB game since May 23, 2017, one of seven appearances he made with the A’s last season. The righty was part of a perfect bullpen night as Mets relievers retired all 12 batters they faced.
“Just to come in and do my job and get the two guys out just to help the team out was big. Just to be here and get back to the big leagues was pretty cool, pretty special,” Wahl said. “I just think about coming in and getting outs. Whatever inning that is or whatever situation that is. Whenever skip tells me to go out there, I will.”
In addition to calling up Wahl, the Mets on Thursday activated Todd Frazier (strained rib cage muscle) from the DL, placed Phil Evans (non-displaced fracture of left tibia) on the 10-day DL , optioned Jacob Rhame to Triple-A Las Vegas and designated outfielder Kevin Kaczmarski for assignment.
Frazier went right back into the starting lineup at third base. He said he used his rehab games to get his timing down, but suffered an 0-for-4 night with two strikeouts.
“I thought it was better than my last rehab start to be honest with you,” Frazier said. “Slow everything down and focus on squaring up the ball because at the end of the day those at-bats don’t really count. You’re trying to see pitches.”
Austin Jackson had a pinch-hit single in the eighth. He is 5-of-13 (.385) as a Met. ... Brandon Nimmo led off the first with his 14th homer of the year. That’s his third leadoff blast, all this season.