Justin Verlander's debut is a bright spot in the recent Mets' disaster

New York Mets v Detroit Tigers
New York Mets v Detroit Tigers | Duane Burleson/GettyImages

The New York Mets are on a losing streak capped by a sweep of the Detroit Tigers. However, within all the recent disasters that the Queen's team is experiencing, Justin Verlander's debut brought some bright spots with it.

Verlander made his debut Thursday afternoon against his former team, pitching five innings of two earned runs and five strikeouts. The Mets Ace came away with the loss in a game where the Amazings' offense was nil.

Despite the result, Justin Verlander had a solid debut for the Mets

It's hard to get positive things out of a team that is playing its worst baseball in a long time. However, Verlander's departure provides a hopeful reprieve for a pitching staff that is among the worst in the league right now.

After a teres major muscle injury kept the AL Cy Young Award winner from pitching on Opening Day, expectations for a healthy performance from Verlander were uncertain. The 40-year-old pitcher threw 79 pitches between fastballs, sliders, and curveballs, dominating most of the Tigers' lineup and with great control, allowing just one walk.

Verlander was quite sharp despite the time lost to injury, making 50% of his pitches in the strike zone. One element that generates satisfaction is that Verlander's fastball was averaging 95.0 mph even reaching a top speed of 96.6 mph.

Verlander landed nine swing strikes in the match showing a similar spin rate to last year. This is a fundamental aspect because the mix of speed and movement of his pitches indicates that he is healthy.

At a time of so much need for a rotation that has taken major casualties this year, Justin Verlander's debut brings hope that the talent pool on this team is high. If Verlander remains healthy, he will consolidate himself as the Ace of this rotation, carrying a team that needs the performance of its star players to get out of this debacle and achieve a position in the postseason.

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