MILWAUKEE – The Mets’ clubhouse was a bigger cauldron of frustration Wednesday night than you might have expected, given the confidence and cohesion that characterize this team. But there was apparently no way to respond to this loss of gut except to feel and act as if you had been punched in the gut.
Well, there was another way the Mets had to respond: by immediately getting to work setting up their pitching for their biggest game of the year yet.
Therefore, I expect that they will plan it as follows:
— Jose Quintanalike any starting pitcher in an elimination match, will have little room for contention. That part of the script is clear.
For what it’s worth, Quintana is a mature veteran who seems impossible to rattle or overwhelm. He told me recently that he’s just as confident charging into the strike zone and working aggressively as he has been all season; it’s a matter of mindset rather than mechanics, and lately he’s been getting it right. The numbers prove it: Quintana posted a 3.18 ERA in the second half of the season, and a 0.72 ERA in four starts in September.
— If Quintana doesn’t throw well early, David Peterson should be the first reliever out of the bullpen. A hidden toll of Phil Maton Blowing Game 2 was the potential loss of the Mets’ National League Division Series Game 1 starter if they were to advance. Peterson was ready for that assignment, but now he may be needed on Thursday. That would probably go away Tylor Megill to start Saturday against the Phillies, the Mets were allowed to advance.
– If the Mets prefer to follow the lefty reliever with a righty before turning to Game 1 winner Peterson Luis Severino should be able to give them an inning on Thursday.
— Unfortunately, the Mets will have to be careful if they stand out in multiple innings Jose Butto on Thursday. Butto contributed two scoreless frames in Game 1. As a starting pitcher for most of his career, he doesn’t bounce back as quickly as many relievers. Using him two days after a two-inning outing would be a tall order.
— The Mets will also have to tread carefully when they return to Maton on Thursday. Typical of their top leverage relievers, he looked weakened Wednesday after pitching in four of the previous five games.
— The good news is that Edwin Diaz should be able to play two innings after two days of rest.
