Tylor Megill has saved the Mets from a potentially disastrous beginning to 2022

Without Tylor Megill pitching like an ace, where would the New York Mets be right now? The team turned to him with less than a week to go before Opening Day to make their first start of the season. Megill turned in a terrific performance only to follow up with an equally impressive second appearance of the season. This time, against a much tougher Philadelphia Phillies lineup in a ballpark that does no favors for pitchers.

A pitcher few were familiar with this time a year ago, Megill has done more than meet expectations. He has surpassed them. He has left them in his dust. Megill has gone so far past expectations that they’ll need to transfer buses twice just to catch up and then ask for directions when they get to the destination.

The year may be young, but if Megill wasn’t pitching the way he is, the feeling around the Mets would be a whole lot different as they near their home opener.

Tylor Megill has helped saved the Mets season from starting off on a sour note

The Mets are already without two of their expecting starting pitchers. Jacob deGrom was placed on the IL before the year began and Taijuan Walker joined him there following a quick exit from his lone start. The Mets will need a lot more from all of their starters.

Down two guys, Megill is firmly placed in the starting five to make regular appearances in the foreseeable future. His 10.1 shutout innings to start the year isn’t just luck. It’s a statement about how much he wants this spot on the team.

Later this season, the ball club could run into a problem when they need to make a tough decision to eliminate one of their starters from the rotation. If all of the expected starting five are healthy (something I don’t think has happened for the Mets since Opening Day 1962), someone is either getting demoted to the farm or bullpen. Performances like this will go a long way toward the team rewarding Megill further and making a change with someone else.

It’s early, I know. Megill isn’t a sleeper Cy Young candidate nor is he someone we’ll be talking about having his own statue at Citi Field decades from now.

But remove him from the equation, this season could look very different. It could be ugly. Instead, the 2022 Mets are rolling along in far greater shape than a team missing their ace should be. We can thank Megill for this.