The New York Mets have decided to alter their roster following five straight losses and a pair of series defeats. The team designated Richard Lovelady and Luis Garcia for assignment to make room for Joey Gerber and Craig Kimbrel. They also sent Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A Syracuse to slot Tommy Pham into the outfield.
“You just gotta stay consistent. You gotta stay positive with the guys. There are a lot of good hitters here, and this is just a bad stretch. You have to continue to trust the players,” manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Mets Alter Bullpen
The Mets decided to alter their bullpen by designating Lovelady and Garcia for assignment due to a lackluster showing from both players. Against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Garcia allowed three runs to score in less than an inning. This played a pivotal part in the Mets’ six-run loss. Up to that point, Garcia had provided the Mets bullpen with quality control. Lovelady, however, allowed three runs to score in his first three appearances. He recovered in his next two outings, but that was when his team was down multiple runs.
Kimbrel was called up to replace Lovelady, considering he is a seasoned veteran with nine All-Star appearances. In his first outing, the 37-year-old righty went an inning without giving up a run. Gerber, on the other hand, has yet to make his Mets debut. But they can use him in their upcoming series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving them another righty out of the bullpen. This can help them mount more pressure against the Dodgers’ lineup.
“We needed an arm, especially with the way we’ve used the bullpen the last couple of nights,” Mendoza said. “I feel like we need some protection there in case something bad happens again.”
Lineup Change
The Mets didn’t stop at altering their bullpen, as Mauricio was sent back to Triple A Syracuse. The 22-year-old infielder was only given four plate appearances. He managed to hit a walk-off single against the Diamondbacks, but that was about all he could string together.
Pham was called up to replace Mauricio because the team wants to add another veteran to the outfield. He will compete for opportunities with Tyrone Taylor and Luis Robert Jr. Although Pham wasn’t able to get much going in the minors, his speed and reliability can help the lineup improve its offense. Additionally, his presence could give them a moral boost, given that Juan Soto is out with an injury.
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