The Mets called up from Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday knowing that they might need a pitcher to provide length out of the bullpen. This has often been the case for the Mets this season and it’s one of the factors that led them to
Their premonition proved correct. Left-hander David Peterson lasted only 3 2/3 innings and Butto, a spot starter, took over from there, taking the loss (0-2) after a seventh-inning blowup in the Mets’ 7-4 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night at Citi Field.
The series is now tied at 1-1.
“It’s a command issue,” said manager Buck Showalter. “Something we hope he gets better at.”
Peterson held the Pirates (54-66) to only one run but struggled with his fastball command right away. He walked six hitters and hit one, exiting in the fourth with one on and two outs. After working out of the bullpen earlier this season, he was able to stretch out to 91 pitches but the career-worst six walks cut his outing short.
“That was kind of the thing for me tonight was not being able to throw enough pitches in and around the zone,” Peterson said.
Butto was mostly effective until the seventh when suddenly no one could find the strike zone.
With the game tied 1-1, the right-hander loaded the bases with one out. He walked leadoff hitter Andrew McCutchen, gave up a double to Connor Joe and then struck out Henry Davis before walking Liover Peguero.
The Mets (54-66) went to the bullpen for right-hander Grant Hartwig. But Hartwig pick up right where Butto left off. He walked pinch-hitter Jack Suwinski, hit Jared Triolo and then threw one that Francisco Alvarez couldn’t handle. It was charged as a passed ball and it put Pittsburgh up 4-1. It was a bad sequence and it only got worse when Jason Delay doubled to clear the bases.
“It was a big situation that got away from me quick,” said Hartwig. “My timing was a little bit off, I tried to make an adjustment with the second batter and I over-adjusted and ended up losing grip of the ball.”
Two batters later, center fielder Tim Locastro couldn’t make a diving catch on a fly ball by Bryan Reynolds. It went for a triple and put the Mets in a 7-1 hole.
The Mets didn’t fault Butto, who was charged with three earned runs on two hits over 2 2/3 innings.
“I don’t know how you can do a better job than Jose did tonight,” Showalter said.
Hartwig, a rookie, hasn’t dealt with many bad outings at the big-league level yet. He’s hoping to learn from this one.
“People are going to struggle,” Hartwig said. “I’m just trying to take a little bit away from it. Getting ahead of hitters is something we strive for and focus on being in the bullpen. Ultimately, I’ve just got to be better and do the job.”
DJ Stewart and Jonathan Araúz helped bring the Mets back to within three runs with back-to-back home runs off right-hander Colin Selby. However, the Mets would get no further. Former Mets reliever Colin Holderman retired the side in order in the eighth and closer David Bednar recorded his 25th save.
At this point, getting five or even six innings out of Peterson, Tylor Megill and Carlos Carrasco is a victory of sorts. The Mets are going to have to keep shuttling guys in and out of the bullpen in order to keep arms fresh and at some point, they’re going to have to figure out this problem to be able to fix it for the future.
“It’s a challenge to keep people out of harm’s way,” Showalter said. “We’ve got some people that are teetering. There were some guys who we shouldn’t pitch tonight and we didn’t. It’s tough because it puts a lot of pressure on the long reliever coming in. I’m sure we’re going to do something to cover ourselves for tomorrow…
“It’s tough, but it’s self-inflicted though — pitch better.”
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