Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning earn spots to complete Mets rotation that has a lot to like
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets from spring training PORT ST.LUCIE — Tylor Megill arrived at spring training “on a mission” and will leave with a spot in the Mets starting rotation.After watching the right-hander limit walks and control his pitch count in the Grapefruit League, manager Carlos Mendoza officially named Megill on Sunday as part of the rotation, with his season debut scheduled for Game 2 of the season in Houston.Griffin Canning was also named to the rotation as the starter for Game 3 in Houston.
Clay Holmes will start Thursday’s season opener, with David Peterson and Kodai Senga set to pitch in succession next week in Miami.Paul Blackburn will open the season in the bullpen, as The Post first reported was a consideration.“It wasn’t an easy [decision] because of how well they are all throwing the baseball,” Mendoza said before the Mets beat the Marlins 10-2 in an exhibition game at Clover Park.“Megill earned it.
He came into camp on a mission and he went out there and earned it.He did a lot of things we were asking, and it started with throwing strikes and attacking hitters and he did that during spring.
His stuff is elite.He earned it.”Canning, who arrived on a one-year contract worth $4.25 million, was projected from the start of camp to begin the season in the rotation.
In a final spring tuneup on Sunday, he held the Marlins to two earned runs over 4 ¹/₃ innings.He finished the spring with a 1.88 ERA.Megill, who could have returned to Triple-A Syracuse — he is the only pitcher among the three competing for a spot who has a minor league option — became a candidate to open the season with the Mets following injuries to Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea.
Montas has a high-grade lat strain that could cost him at least one-third of the season and Manaea is dealing with a strained oblique that will likely sideline him into l...