Tylor Megill

Megill Gets Tagged For Four Homers in Mets 8-0 Loss To Giants

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New York Mets, Luis Rojas

The New York Mets welcomed the combination of Francisco Lindor and Javier Baez for the first time, but the San Francisco Giants looked at it and laughed. It took just two batters for them to get a lead they would not surrender and cruised to an easy 8-0 victory in game one of their series.

Tylor Megill did not have his good stuff early on, leading to the ugliest start of his young career. He allowed seven runs on 11 hits, including those four homers, and only lasted 3.2 innings. Megill allowed a first-inning homer to Brandon Belt, a 451-foot homer to Mike Yastrzemski in the second inning, and homers to LaMonte Wade and Belt again during the fourth inning.

Throughout the start, Megill looked like he was pitching with a lack of confidence. It showed the most when Megill assumed a ground ball to Pete Alonso would become a base hit. Megill broke towards home plate to back up instead of making a move to cover first base.

New Day, Same Offense

Sammy Long looked the complete opposite against the horrid Mets offense, but then again, what pitcher has not? Long complete 5.1 shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out four. He had the Mets guessing all night with his ability to throw his changeup and slow looping curve at any time. Long even threw a nasty changeup to Baez, making him look like he had never swung a bat before.

The loss was about what you would expect when the best team in baseball plays a team that has barely been better than the Baltimore Orioles this month. On Wednesday, they will try to rebound when Taijuan Walker takes the mound against Johnny Cueto, making his first start off the IL. The first pitch from Citi Field is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Mets Ninth Inning Rally Comes Up Short in 5-3 Loss to Phillies

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New York Mets, Brandon Nimmo

The New York Mets had an opportunity to fight their way back into first place against the Philadelphia Phillies but squandered the opportunity with their lack of offense. For the Phillies, their 5-3 victory was their seventh straight and put them in a terrific position to sweep the weekend series.

The loss for the Mets had plenty of reoccurring themes that have plagued them during their cold streak. Tylor Megill cruised through four scoreless innings to begin his outing but again ran into trouble in the fifth inning. Brad Miller‘s solo homer opened up the scoring and Odubel Herrera‘s majestic three-run shot capped off a four-run inning for the Phils. Megill has now allowed nine runs and four homers in the fifth inning this season as he struggles with getting deep into the game.

Disappointing Bats

The offense was the same ugly disaster it has become all season. The Mets had just two hits through the first eight innings, and their only extra-base hit belonged to Megill. In the ninth inning, they attempted a comeback when three consecutive home runs from Michael Conforto, Jonathan Villar, and James McCann opened the inning. After getting runners on first and second, Pete Alonso and J.D. Davis made Ian Kennedy look like Aroldis Chapman by striking out to end the game.

The Mets were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left nine runners on base. During the Alonso and Davis strikeouts, it was clear how bad the Mets have become at hitting fastballs. Kennedy was only in the mid-90s, but they made his fastball look like it was 102 mph. Whether it is the game plan or lack of execution, it is inexcusable for an entire team to struggle this badly with fastballs.

On Sunday, the Mets will attempt to crawl out of Philadelphia with some dignity against Zack Wheeler. Taijuan Walker gets the ball for the Mets at 1:05 p.m. ET from Citizens Bank Park.

 

Mets Game Preview (8/2/21) @ Miami Marlins (44-61)

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After a disappointing homestand, the New York Mets go on the road to face the last-place Miami Marlins. These are the first games between the two division rivals since May, and the Marlins have a 3-2 advantage in the season series. The first pitch from loanDepot Park is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET.

Usually, when a team has a 3.5 game lead in the division heading into August, they are confident about how the rest of the season will play out. The Mets are one of those rare outliers who have injury issues and front office issues. Luis Guillorme was the newest Mets added to the 10-day IL to join the likes of Jacob deGrom and Francisco Lindor. The underwhelming trade deadline and refusal to sign Kumar Rocker also disappointed the fan base as well. August’s schedule is jam-packed with tough opponents, and the Mets will learn how legitimate they are throughout the month.

The Marlins have lost four in a row and come off a weekend series sweep against the Yankees. Jesus Aguilar is the only bright spot on offense left after Adam Duvall was shipped back to the Atlanta Braves. Aguilar is hitting .267 with 18 home runs and 75 RBIs on the season. The Marlins starting pitching has kept them from falling deeper into the cellar of baseball’s worst teams. Trevor Rogers (2.45 ERA), Pablo Lopez (3.03 ERA), and Sandy Alcantara (3.12 ERA) form a formidable trio for the Marlins.

Pitching Matchup

Tylor Megill looks to build on his impressive rookie season after a great month of July. He had a 1.04 ERA, 27 strikeouts, and allowed just two home runs in five starts. Megill pitched 5.1 innings, allowing just one run against the Braves during his last start. The Mets need Megill to continue getting deep into the game while their rotation deals with injuries.

The Marlins still have not announced a starter for tonight’s matchup.

Mets Escape With 2-1 Victory Over Braves After Exciting Ninth Inning

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The New York Mets five-game series against the Atlanta Braves have been a dog fight from the beginning, and it proved again in game four. The Mets 2-1 win was symbolic of their 2021 surprising success. It featured unlikely heroes, bullpen success, and tremendous defense to get a much-needed victory.

After a tense 1-1 battle that carried into the seventh inning, manager Luis Rojas turned to the bat of Brandon Drury. He was fresh off a 3-for-3 night in Tuesday’s blowout loss and was 6-for-14 as a pinch hitter. Drury waited back on a Max Fried curveball and launched it deep into the left-field bleachers for a 2-1 Mets lead.

Battle Tested

The usually reliable Aaron Loup got the ball to protect the lead in the eighth but ran into instant trouble. After two straight singles to leadoff inning, a swinging bunt from Freddie Freeman set the Braves up with runners on second and third with only one out. Jeurys Familia came into face the red-hot Austin Riley, who homered earlier in the game. Familia struck out Riley, then induced a Dansby Swanson groundout to escape the jam.

Trouble returned in the ninth inning for Edwin Diaz, who allowed a leadoff double to Abraham Almonte. After getting a flyout, Ehire Adrianza singled to right field, and a perfect throw from Michael Conforto and a great tag from James McCann nabbed Almonte from scoring the tying run. Pablo Sandoval flew out to Kevin Pillar, cutting towards the left-center field gap to secure the win.

Tylor Megill was solid once again in 5.1 innings, allowing just one run while striking out six to lower his ERA to a very impressive 2.04. The combination of five relievers the Mets used allowed just four hits, no walks, and kept the Braves scoreless. The win pushed the Mets four games ahead of the second-place Philadelphia Phillies and five ahead of the Braves.

On Thursday, both teams finish up their series with a 12:10 afternoon game. Drew Smyly faces Taijuan Walker in the rubber game of the five-game series from Citi Field.

Mets Game Preview (7/17/21) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (35-56)

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The New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates return to the field as the Mets try to develop the formula to beat a rebuilding team. After last night’s loss, the Mets have lost three of their five games to the second-worst team in the NL. Weather permitting, the first pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET start from the scenic PNC Park.

The lineup features the return of J.D. Davis to the four-hole, and the Mets desperately need his offense. Francisco Lindor has landed on the 10-day IL with an oblique strain, and the team offense has continued to struggle. Davis was red hot during his rehab assignment with four home runs. He also has the longest home run of his career at PNC Park when it came off Joe Musgrove in 2019.

The Pirates have had the Mets number and have even started commotions with them. John Nogowski and Marcus Stroman‘s fight led to Drew Smith being dragged into the situation. Smith told Stroman he was a “clown,” which Stroman told the media after the game. It is unlikely, but there is always a chance of retaliation in the air with situations like these.

Pitching Matchup

Tylor Megill makes his fifth career start and is still searching for his first major league win. He has not gone past the fifth inning in any of his starts but has a 3.50 ERA and a very impressive 26 strikeouts in 18 innings pitched. During his last start against the Pirates, Megill pitched 3.2 innings and allowed one run with seven strikeouts in a seven-inning game.

Wil Crowe gets the ball for the Pirates, and it has been a struggle for him all season. He has a 6.05 ERA in 55 innings and has allowed 12 home runs this season. Crowe has only gone past the fifth inning once in 12 starts and has pitched between four and five innings over his last six starts. If the Mets can get started early, this is a good opportunity to get their offense finally on track.

Mets Three Run Seventh Inning Chases Woodruff in 4-2 Win

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The Milwaukee Brewers were one of the hottest teams in baseball and came in winning 11 out of their last 12 games. Meanwhile, the newly healthy New York Mets came off a good weekend in the Bronx and rode the momentum to beat another tough pitcher. After getting shut down for six innings by Brandon Woodruff, the Mets put up three in the seventh inning for a 4-2 victory.

In those first six innings, Woodruff showed why he deserved his All-Star selection. He held the Mets to just one run on one hit and had a very low pitch count. In the seventh, Francisco Lindor battled through a walk then the rest of the order continued their aggressive attack early in the count. The next four batters saw just seven pitches but manufactured three runs.

Dominic Smith moved Lindor to third with a single, and Pete Alonso‘s double drove them both in to make it a 3-1 game. After Jeff McNeil‘s ground out moved Alonso to third, Michael Conforto drove him in with a single. The early attack was the same tactics they used against the New York Yankees, and it paid off against a strike-thrower like Woodruff. Brandon Nimmo continued to be a sparkplug at the top of the order with two more hits and is 7-for-16 since coming off the IL.

Megill Is Here To Stay

Tylor Megill impressed for a third consecutive start as he adjusts to the big leagues. He pitched a gritty five innings, allowing two hits, striking out seven, and his only blemish came on Omar Narvaez‘s solo-home run. Megill has the stuff to pitch in the big leagues, but his biggest improvement will come in his ability to limit his pitch count. He needed 92 pitches to get through his start, but otherwise, Megill has given the Mets everything they could have hoped.

Aaron Loup, Seth Lugo, and Trevor May combined for three shutout innings to bridge the gap to Edwin Diaz. He bent but did not break after allowing a run and the first three runners to get on base. Diaz rebounded and retired the last three guys he faced to pick up his 18th save of the season.

With the Atlanta Braves losing, the Mets NL East lead will be either 4 or 4.5 games depending on the Washington Nationals’ outcome. Brett Anderson will face Jacob deGrom in game two of their series, which is another 7:10 p.m. ET start from Citi Field.

Tylor Megill impresses in MLB debut as Mets defeat Braves

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The New York Mets defeated the Atlanta Braves Wednesday night, winning 7-3. The win pushes the team to 38-31 on the season, 4 games ahead of the Nationals for first place in the NL East.

Before the game, the activation of Michael Conforto off of the injured list earned some headlines, and rightfully so. The 28-year old outfielder is a key factor in the Mets’ playoff hopes. So, having him back, along with Jeff McNeil, is huge for the team.

Conforto and McNeil helped get the offense going early as the Mets scored 5 quick runs through the first two innings. McNeil drove in a run on a single and went 3-5 overall. Michael Conforto reasserted himself quickly, ripping a double down the right-field line in his first at-bat since May 16 and scoring two runs

Francisco Lindor had the big blow, blasting a two-run homer to extend the lead to five, his ninth of the year. That would be all the Mets needed, but not all they got.

However, along with Conforto and McNeil returning, the team endured some blows to the pitching staff. Robert Gsellman was moved to the 60-day IL, Marcus Stroman is day-to-day with hip discomfort and Joey Luchessi needs Tommy John surgery.

As a result, the Mets turned to Tylor Megill for his Major League debut.

Megill wasn’t overly dominant by any means, but pitched well enough for the Mets to earn the win against a division opponent. The 25-year old pitched 4.1 innings and struck out four while allowing two runs in his debut.

Other than the home run he gave up to Ender Inciarte in the fifth inning, he seemed in control for the most part.

Of course, the Mets victory didn’t come without some anxiety. Miguel Castro, who relieved Megill in the fifth, quickly loaded the bases, but he didn’t fold. Castro, who has had some great moments, and some not-so-great ones so far this season, escaped possibly detrimental damage in his short relief outing.

Behind him, Corey Oswalt pitched a fantastic 2.1 innings of relief and Edwin Diaz secured his second five-out save, 16th overall. The outing from the entire pitching staff was a great sight as injuries have begun to pile up even more.

The New York Mets will have their final off-day before the All-Star break tomorrow, followed by 17 straight days with a game. They will look to use this win to start a nice stretch over the next few weeks.

Mets Game Preview: (6/23/21) vs. Atlanta Braves (35-37)

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The New York Mets and Atlanta Braves play the final game of their four-game series as the Mets search for a split. Braves pitching has done a terrific job of shutting down the Mets’ offense, throwing 17 consecutive scoreless innings. The final matchup of the series is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET from Citi Field.

In last night’s game, the injury bug struck Marcus Stroman, which forced him to leave with a left hip issue. Luckily, Stroman’s MRI came back clean, and he should avoid the injured list. As of 5:15 p.m., they have not released their lineup, but they expect Michael Conforto to rejoin them tonight. Conforto has been on the sidelines since May 16 and is a massive boost to the struggling Mets offense.

The Braves offense has not been anything special series, but they have played just like the Mets all year. They found ways to score just enough to win, and it earned them two victories. Will Smith and A.J. Minter both pitched in back-to-back days and are unlikely to take the mound today. Chris Martin or Tyler Matzek are likely to take over the late innings if the Braves have a lead tonight.

Pitching Matchups

Tylor Megill is making his MLB debut a lot sooner than the Mets had hoped. Multiple injuries to their starting rotation have forced the Mets to test the depth of their minor league system. Megill is the 21st ranked prospect in the Mets farm system and has only pitched 14.1 innings at Triple-A. Overall between Double-A and Triple-A, he has a 3.35 ERA with a very impressive 13.2 K/9.

Kyle Wright gets the call from the minors to make his second start of the season and first since April 16. Wright is taking the spot of Max Fried, who is on the 10-day IL with a blister on his left index finger. In his only start of the season, Wright pitched 4.1 innings, allowing two runs and striking out five against the Chicago Cubs.

Matchups To Lookout For

Kyle Wright vs. Jeff McNeil: 4-for-7 (.571), 2 Doubles

Kyle Wright vs. Dominic Smith: 3-for-6 (.500), Home Run, Walk

New York Mets: Peterson Pitches Well, Bullpen Not So Much in 7-3 Loss

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New York Mets, David Peterson

The New York Mets have some questions behind their quartet of top-tier relievers, and Robert Gsellman and Stephen Tarpley continued to heighten the need for reliable middle relievers. After a scoreless seventh inning, the Washington Nationals roughed up Gsellman in the eighth inning.

Josh Bell‘s majestic opposite solo home run tied the game at three and almost cleared the scoreboard. Gerardo Parra put the Nats in the lead with an RBI single giving them a 4-3 lead. They added a two-run homer from Luis Garcia and RBI single from Adrian Sanchez to complete the 7-3 victory.

David Peterson was in line for the win before the blown save from Gsellman. Peterson pitched six solid innings with four hits and two runs allowed. The Nats did a bulk of their damage during the fourth inning, with three hits and two runs in their top half. Singles from Josh Harrison and Hernan Perez were the only damage against the slender lefty. Peterson only struck out two but was very effective in the outing. He did not allow a hit for the first half of his start.

Manager Luis Rojas hopes to have a second lefty in the bullpen, but Tarpley squandered one of his final opportunities to make the roster. Tarpley allowed four hits and three runs, including the Garcia homer, and only retired one batter. Due to their rough outings, Gsellman and Tarpley made their route to the Opening Day roster bumpier. Tylor Megill came in and prevented more runs from being charged to Tarpley’s ledger in the ninth.

The Mets offense recorded 12 hits but only pushed 3 runs across. James McCann‘s RBI single provided the first run during the second inning. The other two runs came in the sixth when Dominic Smith lucked into an RBI triple on a dribbler that Bell misplayed at first base and J.D. Davis lined an RBI single over a drawn-in infield. McCann and Francisco Lindor were the two Mets with multiple hits on the night.

On Saturday, the Mets play another home game when the Houston Astros visit Clover Park. Bryan Abreu (1-0, 3.68 ERA) takes the mound against opener Jacob Barnes (0-1, 5.40 ERA). Barnes opens up for Joey Lucchesi for the 1:10 p.m. ET start on SNY.