Added relief
Rook Oswalt provides Amazin’ depth in bullpen
The Mets have a decent rotation in their bullpen.
Robert Gsellman, Seth Lugo — two guys who saved the rotation in past seasons — and now Corey Oswalt are combining to give the Mets a varied and versatile relief corps.
Oswalt on Tuesday made his first relief appearance since his Major League debut April 25 — that was followed by eighth starts. He worked three shutout innings allowing one hit and picked up the win in the Mets 6-3 Citi Field victory.
“It’s nice to know that we have guys like he and Lugo that can step into the rotation, step in the bullpen and Gsellman even,” manager Mickey Callaway said. “You have starting depth in your own bullpen and they’re effective bullpen guys.”
But Callaway made it clear that Oswalt will be starter in the future.
“We know he’s going to be a valuable starter for us,” Callaway said. “At this point, we just want him to help us out at the major league level. There’ll be more opportunity for him to start at the major league level the rest of the season so we wanted to keep him around because he’s earned it and it will also help us.”
Oswalt worked Tuesday on his normal starter’s rest.
“I felt good. I just wanted to go out there and attack the zone, get as many outs as I could and try to keep the game close,” Oswalt said. “I was able to throw a couple side sessions in between and then today live so those couple side sessions helped me keep that feel.”
David Wright went 1of-4 with an RBI single and played seven innings at third base, while Jay
Bruce was 3-of-4 with a double and a run scored in their rehab efforts for Class-A St. Lucie. Bruce played nine innings in right field.
The game started horribly for the Mets. Three batters in and they trailed 2-0. But after that Callaway said he saw a different pitcher in starter Steven
Matz then he had seen in recent outings.
“That f irst inning, kind of a 3-0 cookie down the middle to [ Evan] Longo
ria and he made him pay for it. [Matz] settled in nicely after that,” Callaway said. “I think it riled him up a little bit but he was able to come in the dugout and settle down in between innings and then I saw that focus … I saw a more relaxed pitcher than I had seen recently.”
After going 2-for-3 Tuesday night, Wilmer Flores has at least two hits in eight straight games against the Giants.
In 24 games as a Met, Austin Jackson is hitting . 356 (31-of-87). ... Over the past six games, the Mets bullpen has a 1.44 ERA.