NEW YORK -- What the Mets feared in shifting
“We trust our guys,” Mets manager Luis Rojas said. “We know their ability to get outs, to get strikeouts, throw in stress situations, tension situations. It’s something they’ve done in the past and they’re going to be able to do.”\n\nFor most of Wednesday evening, it did not appear Citi Field would play host to a close game. The Mets jumped in front of Marlins starter Elieser Hernandez on a
But as soon as deGrom departed, things grew hairy.
Entering with a 2-1 count against Brian Anderson, Brach walked in another run to tie the game and stick deGrom with a no-decision. But Canó led off the bottom of the eighth with a single, and Hamilton -- pinch-running for Canó -- raced around with the go-ahead run on Ramos’ hit. Brach then recorded the final three outs to pick up the win that once belonged to deGrom.\n\nThat has been a theme for deGrom, who has endured 14 outings over the last three seasons in which he has gone at least seven innings with one or zero runs, and not won the game. No other Major League pitcher has had more than seven such games over the same stretch, due in large part to the ineffectiveness of New York’s bullpen behind deGrom.
For years, Lugo had been such a stabilizing force to that group that the Mets resisted making him a starter, until finally caving earlier this month. And if Lugo’s three strong innings in his first start on Tuesday were any indication, it was a move that the Mets will not regret making.\n\nStill, Lugo’s absence from the bullpen leaves a hole that the Mets must figure out how to fill. One option, Díaz, has struggled for most of the last two seasons. Another,