Mets to use 6-man rotation to keep staff fresh
The New York Mets experimented with a six-man rotation last year, and plan to roll out the same strategy in 2016, according to general manager Sandy Alderson.
New York's stable of young hurlers put in overtime during the club's run to the World Series last year, with three starters eclipsing the 200-inning plateau including the postseason.
| PITCHER | AGE | IP (including playoffs) | ERA | FIP | SO9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Harvey | 26 | 216.0 | 2.71 | 3.05 | 8.9 |
| Noah Syndergaard | 23 | 169.0 | 3.24 | 3.25 | 10.0 |
| Jacob deGrom | 27 | 216.0 | 2.54 | 2.70 | 9.7 |
| Steven Matz | 24 | 53.1 | 2.27 | 3.61 | 8.6 |
| Bartolo Colon | 42 | 203.1 | 4.16 | 3.84 | 6.3 |
Joining the rotation for the second half of the campaign will be recovering Tommy Johner Zack Wheeler, who is targeting a July 1 return. Sean Gilmartin or Logan Verrett could both fill in as a sixth starter until Wheeler's return.
Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom are also former Tommy John patients, so the Mets may be wise to protect their investments by limiting the duo's regular-season innings when possible.
Doctors recommended a 180-inning limit for Harvey last year - his first full season after the daunting elbow surgery. The righty pushed well beyond that limit with a World Series title up for grabs, tossing 216 frames by the time the dust settled in early November.
Mets starting pitchers went a combined 64-51 with a 3.44 ERA while holding opponents to a .248 batting average last season.