A pitching staff that has borne its weight like an experienced Sherpa on a Himalayan expedition has been crucial to the New York Mets’ 2025 campaign.
The bullpen has typically been the reliable safety net, and the starting rotation has been reliable. However, that net frayed at the wrong time on Wednesday night.
A Bullpen Game Gone Awry
Until the seventh inning turned the tide, the Mets decided to play a bullpen game, which had all the makings of a cunning chess move.
Everything started out without any problems. Brandon Waddell followed like a long-relief metronome, consuming 4.1 innings while allowing only three hits and one walk after Huascar Brazobán set the tone with two clean innings.
Between them, they struck out seven and left Arizona batters mainly guessing.
For a while, it looked like this bullpen mosaic would be a masterpiece. The slender 1-0 advantage lasted until the seventh inning when Mark Vientos hit a single shot in the third inning. But then the frame turned into a house of cards for Ryne Stanek.
Stanek and Devenski Can’t Hold the Line
The Mets were up when Stanek arrived, but the scoreboard was reversed when he left. The advantage was swiftly overturned by a single, a double, and a run-scoring hit from Geraldo Perdomo.
It was Stanek’s third consecutive defeat and another unpleasant game in which he appeared to be playing catch-up instead of setting the pace.
Chris Devenski was supposed to be holding the rope by the ninth, but he let it slide. Arizona took advantage of runners Devenski let get to base to extend their lead to 4-1 after two sac flies.
The Rally That Almost Was
The Mets have more work to do. A ferocious rally ensued when Tyrone Taylor’s solo shot to start the ninth sparked optimism. They made Citi Field a pressure cooker by loading the bases while no one was out.
She just noted that a run scored on a groundout reduced the margin to 4-3. The bats ran out of steam precisely when they needed a spark.
Bright Spots in a Tough Finish
Despite the defeat, the early pitching was a silver lining. Together, Brazobán and Waddell created what may be kindly referred to be a model for future bullpen games. They kept the Diamondbacks off balance and the Mets in control for the most of the game by combining composure, command, and efficiency.
The issue? These days, the bridge to the ninth inning resembles a rope swing. Each advantage feels more tenuous than the last as the Mets’ late-inning depth is being eroded by weariness and injury.
