The Jacob deGrom injury news was the very last thing Mets fans wanted to hear to begin the 2022 MLB season. In fact, it was the last thing baseball fans wanted to hear. The game is better when deGrom is going his thing on the mound in Queens. But hope is not lost for the Mets, as Tylor Megill could be the team's saving grace.
Yes, a pitcher that finished with a 4.52 2021 ERA could help keep the Mets afloat without Jacob deGrom.
Megill was excellent in his surprising Opening Day start on Thursday. Many people around the MLB were shocked to hear his name called for duties of taking the mound on Opening Day, but he overcame the naysayers and pitched a great game. The right-hander went 5 innings while striking out 6 and allowing just 3 hits and no runs. New York went on to win 5-1.
But this is more than an overreaction to one start. Megill showed promise last season for the Mets despite the underwhelming ERA.
Opponents hit .255 against him last year. But the numbers indicate he may have been a bit unlucky, as hitters posted a .301 batting averaging on balls in play against him. That means that hitters were finding holes and balls were dropping when put in play against Megill.
Megill posted a passable 26.1 strikeout percent rate compared to a 7.1 percent walk rate. However, his 42 percent ground ball rate was solid. His 30 percent fly ball rate was a bit more questionable. If Megill can turn some of those fly balls into ground balls or strikeouts, he will find far more success.
In the win against Washington, Megill allowed just a 25 percent fly ball rate compared to a 50 percent ground ball rate. To simplify all those numbers, the more ground balls the better for a pitcher like Tylor Megill.
Granted, he was facing a fairly weak Nationals lineup. But it still is a batting order that features sluggers such as Juan Soto and Nelson Cruz.
Mets beat writer Anthony DiComo shared a telling reaction to Megill's first inning of work.
That was a damn impressive first inning from Tylor Megill. Hit 99 mph on the gun multiple times, used his changeup to induce weak contact from Juan Soto, and then struck out Nelson Cruz on a wiffleball slider.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) April 8, 2022
Velocity, weak contact, and strikeouts. Tylor Megill will be just fine if he develops consistency and limits hard contact moving forward. And if he pitches well, Megill will be a saving grace for the Mets with Jacob deGrom on the shelf.
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