With great anticipation for Juan Soto’s return to the Bronx, the New York Mets opened the 2025 Subway Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. But in a more obscure setting, Tylor Megill was at the heart of a significant tale that started on the mound during that game for the Mets organization.
Megill, who started the season with an above-expected performance, has had three unproductive starts and dismal outcomes, which puts his status in the rotation and maybe on the MLB team in peril for good. His slot might be used by one of the pitchers now undergoing rehab assignments, with one pitcher in particular benefiting the most from Megill’s poor performance.
Did Tylor Megill just pitch himself off the Mets roster?
It should be mentioned that Megill had a strong start to the season with a 1.74 ERA, a 30% strikeout rate, and a.198 batting average. However, since then, Megill has been displaying poor performance and bad pitching, and his most recent appearance against the Yankees hurt his chances of staying in the Mets’ rotation after he gave up four earned runs and five walks in just 2.2 innings pitched, bringing his overall ERA to 3.74.
Megill’s condition is alarming. His home run-to-fly ball ratio increased from an exceptional 3.8% in March to over 20% between April and this year, while batters are hitting.282 with a.462 slugging percentage as of April. Furthermore, fly balls had an impact on his ground ball induction ratio, which dropped by nearly 13 percentage points. As a result, Megill’s ERA since April 1st is 7.45.
Megill has yet another flaw that may potentially make his continued status on the MLB squad questionable. The Mets can send him to AAA without having to clear waivers and risk losing him in the long run because he still has an active minor league option. This implies that the team’s rotation very definitely includes pitchers like Paul Blackburn, who is presently undergoing rehabilitation.
In addition, Blackburn pitched his last rehab appearance, giving up three earned runs in 4.1 innings while striking out seven batters. Megill didn’t have a great outing, but given his minor league option and how badly he threw in his last game, Blackburn is the obvious choice to take his spot in the rotation until Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea can fully recover from their illnesses. The Mets may also start early and immediately demote Megill to the minor leagues, which allows them to call up relievers until they need a starter to take Megill’s place.
Given Megill’s recent difficulties, the Mets have to make a decision that may not be entirely avoidable. The writing seems to be on the wall since Blackburn is getting close to full health and has a history of success in Major League Baseball, while Megill’s minor league option gives the team options. Although Megill shown moments of genius early in the season, his failure to sustain that caliber of play has made room for a move that may eventually help the Mets’ pitching staff.
