According to many sources, Blade Tidwell was called up by the New York Mets on Friday, paving the way for the pitching prospect to make his Major League debut. Tidwell will take the mound on Sunday since the club needs a sixth starter for their series against the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend.
In his most recent appearances, the 23-year-old has shown promise, allowing four runs in his last two starts while striking out 18 batters in nine innings. The International League’s hitter-friendly circumstances and some bad luck with balls in play have inflated his season ERA of 5.00.
The Mets selected Tidwell in the second round of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft. According to MLB Pipeline, he is currently ranked as the team’s 15th best prospect. Over four minor league seasons, the right-hander has posted a 15–22 record with a 4.23 ERA and 322 strikeouts across 274 2/3 innings.
In addition to having good riding motion, he has a quick four-seam fastball that sits between 94 and 96 mph and can reach 98. In order to provide a contrasting fastball appearance, Tidwell also incorporates a sinker in the 92–94 mph range, which offers almost double the armside movement. He has a variety of gloveside pitches in his secondary repertoire, including an 87-89 mph cutter, an 82-85 mph slider, and an 83-90 mph sweeper.
During spring training, Tidwell impressed with a perfect inning in which he struck out Jose Caballero, Josh Lowe, and Eloy Jiménez on just nine pitches.
Mets Turn to Sixth Starter for Good Reason
The Mets have 26 games in 27 days, with six games left after Thursday. There are several benefits to starting Tidwell against the Cardinals on Sunday. It allows David Peterson and Griffin Canning to have an additional day off before their Arizona debuts. Additionally, it gives Tidwell a gentler landing area. Compared to the deeper Diamondbacks, St. Louis’ lineup is not as formidable.
Tiebreaker consequences also apply to the Arizona series. Last year, the Mets defeated the Diamondbacks in the season series to go to the postseason.
