ATLANTA — Ryne Stanek started the season as a high Mets bullpen possibility however is nearing the ultimate month simply struggling to keep up a roster spot.
It’s a actuality the 34-year-old fireballer acknowledges however says he chooses largely to disregard as he makes an attempt to rebound from what he considers a career-worst stretch.
“In the event you play lengthy sufficient, you understand how the enterprise works,” mentioned Stanek, who didn’t seem within the Mets’ 12-7 win over the Braves on Friday. “My job is to go on the market and pitch and get outs and get higher and take what they inform me and implement it. I can’t concern myself with [potentially getting released] for the time being. All that’s, it’s a distraction.”
Stanek has compiled a 5.65 ERA in 50 appearances this season. His newest tough outing was Thursday, when he allowed 4 earned runs within the eighth inning within the Mets’ 9-3 loss in Washington.
It marked the third time this month Stanek surrendered a number of runs throughout an outing. He now has an 18.56 ERA for August with 11 hits allowed and 5 walks over 5 ¹/₃ innings, spanning seven appearances.
Stanek’s frustration stems from the actual fact his uncooked stuff stays elite — his common fastball velocity of 98.5 mph ranks in MLB’s 97th percentile, in keeping with Statcast, with a slider on which the anticipated batting common this season is .168. The precise quantity is .229, as Stanek hasn’t caught many breaks on balls put in play.
“That is the perfect stuff I’ve had my complete profession,” Stanek mentioned. “Velocity, shapes, execution over the course of the 12 months has been higher, however the outcomes have been worse. And that’s the half, like, is it a sequencing subject? Is it a pitch-tipping subject? We’re going over all of the issues it may very well be.
“I’ve by no means had a stretch the place my stuff is pretty much as good because it has been and the outcomes have been what they’ve been, which is probably the most irritating half. It’s manner simpler if, ‘Oh, the speed is down, I’m getting hit tougher.’ If it’s one thing noticeably totally different, you may fairly simply choose that up.”
Stanek was a major addition final season after arriving on the commerce deadline from Seattle. He emerged because the workforce’s high setup possibility because the Mets progressed into the postseason earlier than returning final winter on a one-year contract price $4.5 million.
The season started with Stanek as a main possibility main into Edwin Diaz, however Stanek’s lack of consistency modified the script. Earlier than the commerce deadline, the Mets acquired Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley, relegating Stanek to a lower-leverage position.
“The preparation is certainly manner totally different,” Stanek mentioned. “A number of issues are totally different, however I’m not going to make use of that as an excuse. That does no good, proper? My job is to go on the market and get outs when my identify is known as and that’s what I’m going to concentrate on.”
Supervisor Carlos Mendoza mentioned he spoke with Stanek following Thursday’s outing, which included the right-hander surrendering a three-run homer to James Wooden.
“I’m going to proceed to be supportive; the stuff is there,” Mendoza mentioned. “You’re looking at 100 [mph] and displaying it, and it’s form of loopy, however we proceed to imagine in him.”
Mendoza mentioned the important thing to success is ending hitters when he will get forward within the rely.
“Perhaps he’s a little bit an excessive amount of within the strike zone they usually put the ball in play,” Mendoza mentioned. “And he’s been a little bit bit unfortunate as properly, however I believe executing when he’s forward in counts is the largest factor.”
