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It can hit like a ton of bricks when on short notice you find out the ace of your staff is being replaced on the mound by a minor leaguer. This is the news New York Mets fans received on Saturday evening when it was announced after their win against the Oakland Athletics that the ball would go from Max Scherzer to Jose Butto to help attempt to complete the sweep.
Max Scherzer talks about the soreness that has pushed his next start back to Wednesday, and says he dealt with a similar situation in 2019:
— SNY (@SNYtv) April 15, 2023
"I respect it, I know what it is, but I know that if you just give it a little rest, get out of it, it goes away." pic.twitter.com/SBXTm4jWwb
Some alarm bells rang. A few sweated it out. Anytime there is even an ounce of negativity with the Mets, certain vampires perk up and bring some dark clouds with them.
Let’s face it. This is baseball in 2023. Precaution is of the utmost importance. Lingering soreness for a player of Scherzer's age who has been adjusting to a new speed of the game is something that’s going to happen and the Mets tried to prepare for. Save your panic for the disco.
Today’s Mets game should have been Tylor Megill or David Peterson on the mound anyway
Something Mets fans can do more to help ease any worries about the team is to look around the league at the replacements other clubs have when one of their starters need some extra rest. It’s tragic. Their choices are so limited. A guy like Butto is sixth if not higher on their depth chart.
We praised the Mets this offseason for not settling to have Tylor Megill or David Peterson in the planned starting rotation. Each was called into action due to injuries handed down by the baseball gods to Jose Quintana and Justin Verlander. It’s only now that they’re being forced to call upon yet another pitcher. And if there was ever a time to have a minor leaguer on the mound, why not have it against a minor league team like the Athletics?
Nah. Your back shouldn’t tighten quite yet. A guy like Butto may have to start occasionally for the rotation’s sake of being able to push everyone back.
The Mets can get a little too cautious at times. Even Chuckie Finster finds their handling of prospects to be too timid.
The far bigger concern than Butto on the mound today is how the Mets will get through all nine innings. Butto needs to give them some length with no days off for over a week. The team could definitely use five innings at the bare minimum from Butto today. Another 17 runs wouldn’t hurt either.