Tylor Megill struggles in Mets loss to Rays as rotation questions continue to emerge
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.The Mets’ season-long strength suddenly does not seem as strong.For two and a half months, through fluctuating results from a hot-and-cold offense, the Mets have been able to rely upon a group of starters that has appeared never-ending.
It has not just been that the rotation has been solid, but deep, absorbing Sean Manaea- and Frankie Montas-sized blows and bouncing right back up off the mat.But over a span of three days, the Mets 1) learned Kodai Senga is gone for likely at least a month with a hamstring strain suffered Thursday; 2) have decided a potential fill-in, Montas, is not guaranteed a rotation spot in large part because of his ineffectiveness through five rehab starts, highlighted by a Friday implosion and 3) have reason to worry about Tylor Megill.Because on Saturday, the struggles of the No.5 starter continued in an 8-4 loss to the Rays in front of 41,662 rain-soaked fans at Citi Field, where the Mets dropped a series — snapping a streak of six series they either won or tied — before Sunday’s finale.The Mets (45-26) do not need brilliance from Megill, but they need more than he provided while pitching 3 ²/₃ innings and allowing six runs (three earned), lowlighted by a fourth inning that included the big righty hearing boos as he was pulled from the start.In that inning, the Rays sent 11 batters to the plate — 10 against Megill — and a Mets lead evaporated instantly.
The first batter, Junior Caminero, destroyed a 2-1 sinker 409 feet to left, deep into the first deck to tie the game.After two more Rays reached — a plunking and a single to put runners on the corners — the frame turned on a rare safety squeeze from Taylor Walls, who dragged a bunt toward first base.
Megill ignored a potential play at home and tried to go to first but dropped the ball as he cocked it behind him.Megill struck out Josh L...