WASHINGTON — The one blemish was simply forgivable.
The Mets’ bullpen closed out an well-pitched 5-1 victory over the Nationals on Opening Evening as 4 relievers labored one inning apiece and set the best blueprint for not overtaxing the rotation, which is with out Jacob deGrom.
After starter Tyler Megill threw 5 scoreless innings, Trevor Might, Adam Ottavino, Seth Lugo and Edwin Diaz took the rubber in succession. The one run allowed was on Juan Soto’s bomb into the second deck in proper discipline off Might within the sixth inning.
“We’re attempting to get everyone [involved],” supervisor Buck Showalter mentioned. “Don’t know what the following few days are going to carry. Not over-extend, however we’ll attempt to get everyone off.”
In some methods, serving up a solo residence run to arguably MLB’s finest participant when pitching with a 4-0 lead truly beats letting Soto probably begin a rally. The rally nonetheless nearly occurred after Josh Bell and Keibert Ruiz strung collectively back-to-back two-out singles, however Might escaped when Lane Thomas bounced right into a fielder’s alternative.
Lugo walked Soto on 4 pitches within the eighth, which could possibly be a preview of the technique for the Mets over the following three video games and for Nationals opponents on the whole over the following 161 video games.
Might, Lugo and Diaz all have been a part of a Mets’ bullpen that final season pitched to a 3.90 ERA, ninth-best in MLB. Ottavino made a pleasing debut after his profession went sideways over the previous two seasons. Ottavino, Lugo and Diaz held the Nationals hitless after the sixth.
“Nice [job],” Megill mentioned. “We had a giant lead they usually did precisely what they needed to do: Go in, throw strikes and fill it up.”
Ottavino, who signed a one-year, $4 million contract within the offseason, retired the aspect so as with two strikeouts within the seventh. The 36-year-old right-hander pitched to a career-best 1.90 ERA with the 2019 Yankees, however misplaced his setup spot with a 5.89 ERA over 24 video games in 2020. The Yankees maintained such little religion in Ottavino that he was traded to the rival Purple Sox, the place he pitched to a 4.21 ERA final season.
Diaz, who entered in a non-save state of affairs, completed out the sport to start out on a excessive notice after posting a 3.45 ERA and 32 saves final season. He retired three straight hitters after a leadoff stroll.
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