Mets rotations innings-length problem isnt going away

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.MILWAUKEE — The Mets long game isn’t improving.Kodai Senga continued the futility among Mets starting pitchers other than David Peterson to work deep into games with his latest middling performance Friday, when he lasted just 4 ¹/₃ innings against the Brewers.The Mets, who used Reed Garrett as an opener in their 7-4 loss to the Brewers on Saturday night, haven’t had a starting pitcher other than Peterson complete six innings since Clay Holmes did it June 7.In that regard, Senga, Holmes, Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas — who allowed three runs, one earned, after replacing Garrett who pitched a scoreless first inning — have underperformed.That’s even as most of that group have managed to keep the Mets competitive, albeit while placing extra stress on the bullpen.Worth noting: Senga and Manaea returned from the injured list within the past month and spent multiple starts stretching out at the major league level.

And on other occasions, the decision to remove a starter early has been based on strategy, allowing for a certain matchup in a high leverage situation.“But the point remains, we want those guys and are actively trying to figure out how to get those guys into the sixth or seventh inning every single time,” pitching coach Jeremy Hefner said Saturday.The Mets entered play averaging five innings from their starting pitchers.Overall, that unit had logged 582 ¹/₃ innings, which ranked 24th in MLB.

The Phillies, with their deep rotation headed by Zack Wheeler and Cristopher Sánchez, were No.1 in the category at 659 innings.Senga’s lack of progress working deep might be the most troubling.

Once regarded as the staff ace — can it reasonably be argued that anybody other than Peterson is worthy of the moniker? — Senga has completed even five innings only once in his five starts since returning from the st...