New York Mets: Jacob Rhame Year in Review

Sep 29, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Jacob Rhame (35) pitches during the eighth inning of the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies won the game 6-2. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports

For someone who pitched less than ten innings for the New York Mets, Jacob Rhame left a lasting memory on the 2019 season. He decided to pick a battle with Rhys Hoskins, and as we expected, it was not a battle Rhame would win. It also sparked a season-long rivalry with the Philadelphia Phillies.

2019 was the third season for Rhame in a Mets uniform. Three of his five appearances came during the first month of the season. The first resulted in Rhame allowing one run over 1.1 innings. The following to are his memorable outings of the season.

Rhame vs. Hoskins

On April 23, Rhame threw a scoreless ninth innings to cap off the Mets 9-0 win. It did not come without drama, after retiring the first two batters, Rhame threw behind Hoskins. He walked towards the mound, which drew small crowds out of each dugout. The at-bat finished with Rhame sailing another pitch towards the head of Hoskins. Both teams disagreed on Rhame’s intent which, carried over animosity to the following night.

Rhame came in the next night but was not successful. He allowed a home run to Hoskins, and his jog around the bases was similar to the one Bartolo Colon had during his home run. To Rhame’s credit, he handled the situation like a professional but received a two-game suspension.

Dead Weight

The Mets sent down Rhame while he still had to serve his suspension. This meant the next time he returned; he would have to wait for two games before he could pitch. Rhame remained in the minors for about three months before he returned, but would only pitch three more innings for the Mets in 2019.

Rhame has a live arm but has not found his footing in the big leagues. Much like Tyler Bashlor, his problem has been limiting the walks and home runs. He went under elbow surgery, which ended his season early and put an end to a rough year between the minors and big leagues.

Grades:

Pitching Repertoire: D+, Good mid-90s fastball, but his slider and change-up are not competent enough to be out pitches. The change-up has high potential as a swing and miss pitch.

Control: F, nine walks in 6.1 innings.

Composure: B, Preferably, he does not throw at anybody, but he handled the situation as good as anyone.

Intangibles: B, Looks to be mentally tough, and the situation could have been a distraction in the clubhouse.

Overall: D