Bizarro Mets rotation shows up for the Rangers starting today against the Mariners

In the world of Superman, Bizarro is a nemesis of the Man of Steel who has come to represent an alternative and opposite world. Seinfeld characters had their own Bizarro world. The New York Mets have one appearing in Seattle this week.

Pitching for the Texas Rangers on three consecutive days will be Kumar Rocker, Jacob deGrom, and Max Scherzer. The three were scheduled to pitch in three consecutive starts in the minors earlier this year, but it never happened. Instead, Rocker will get to make his MLB debut ahead of deGrom and Scherzer while the Mets enjoy a day off before a crucial series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Bizarro Mets make an appearance for the defending champion Rangers this week

Rocker is proving the Mets might’ve been a little too timid to get scared off from signing him. Unlike Carlos Correa who chased them away with a different injury and a far greater commitment in terms of dollars, the decision to play hardball with Rocker after he was drafted by the Mets 10th overall in 2021 has aged poorly in a couple of ways. Rocker pitched to a 1.96 ERA in 36.2 innings of minor league ball this year. After only 64.2 frames as a professional in the minors along with a stint in Independent Ball in 2022, he’ll make his MLB debut at 24-years-old.

For their failure to sign Rocker, the Mets gained a draft pick the following year. They took Kevin Parada with it and his struggles since make this far worse. It’s one thing to be cautious about Rocker. It’s another to miss on the opportunity to choose again. The Mets haven’t gotten close to what they expected from Parada who is a recognizable name on the farm but much more of an afterthought. He has hit just .206/.298/.334 with 10 home runs in 437 plate appearances in Double-A this season. His 148 strikeouts adds to the alarm bells.

Just a day after Rocker makes his MLB debut, deGrom is scheduled to take the hill for the first time in 2024 for the Rangers. His massive contract signed after the 2022 season has led to only 6 starts before Tommy John surgery claimed him as a victim for the second time in his career.

As for Scherzer, he’ll make his 9th start of the year on Saturday. At 2-4 with a 3.89 ERA this year, he hasn’t done himself too many favors heading into the end of the three-year deal he originally signed with the Mets. Thanks to a strong first year in New York, Scherzer has been able to put together a 26-15 record and 3.15 ERA over those 58 starts while on this deal. Staying healthy has been his biggest issue.