Mets: Tyler Pill set to meet team in Pittsburgh

Apr 3, 2017; New York City, NY, USA; General view of fans outside Citi Field before a game between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 3, 2017; New York City, NY, USA; General view of fans outside Citi Field before a game between the New York Mets and the Atlanta Braves. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

After another disastrous outing by Rafael Montero, reinforcements are on the way for the Mets’ rotation.

According to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, Triple-A starter Tyler Pill will meet the Mets this weekend in Pittsburgh.

This is probably a smart move for the Mets, as their rotation depth has been tested all season, and a lot of the current options have not been working out. With Tommy Milone heading to the DL and Rafael Montero continuing to be, well, Rafael Montero, it seems like Pill is the best option for New York right now.

Pill, the 26-year-old right-hander, has put together a solid season in the minors thus far in 2017. He has made nine total starts between Binghamton and Las Vegas, and his ERA currently sits at 1.60. Impressively, he has a 1.96 ERA through seven starts in the Pacific Coast League for Las Vegas – a league that is known for its gaudy offensive numbers.

Unfortunately, this success in 2017 is a small sample size compared to Pill’s complete body of work. In 116 career minor league appearances, (610.2 innings) Pill’s ERA is 4.01, and his WHIP is 1.31. He does not have overwhelming stuff, and it’s unlikely that he is a long-term answer in the rotation.

However, as crazy as it seems, Pill is the best option for the rotation right now. No official move has been made, but if there are no surprise injuries, (which is always possible) sending Montero back to the minors — or like, to Mars — is the obvious choice. Montero has an 8.24 ERA  and has walked 17 batters over 19.2 innings. It is abundantly clear that he just does not have what it takes to get it done at the major league level.

So, it seems like Pill will get the call. Jacob deGrom, Zack Wheeler, and Matt Harvey are set to pitch in Pittsburgh this weekend, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned so far this season, it’s that things can change. Quickly.

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Hopefully for the Mets and their fans, Pill can put together a few decent starts until the rotation gets at least somewhat healthy again. If not, it’d be pretty tough to swallow.

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