The Mets have promoted 25-year-old RHP Tyler Bashlor from Double-A Binghamton for Monday's game against the Pirates, with Chris Flexen being sent down.
Bashlor, or, "Bash," as they call him, has a 2.63 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 30 strikeouts in 24 innings across 20 outings this season. Since the Mets drafted him during the 11th round in 2013, he has a 3.29 lifetime ERA in 117 career minor-league games. He last pitched on Friday.
During this past spring training in St. Lucie, Bashlor quietly emerged as a young reliever worth keeping an eye on this summer. The kid works hard and is aggressive on the mound.
He clearly earned the attention of several veteran players and coaches when throwing live batting practice during a session in late February...
According to people that have watched him this season, while his fastball is consistently in the mid to upper 90s, he is still struggling to command his breaking ball. If this continues for him after his promotion, major-league batters will either walk or sit on his fastball, at which point he'll be hit hard.
I can see a typical inning being shaky at first. However, if he can find his command, experts say his fastball is varied and quick enough that he can one day be a set-up guy...
In Bashlor, I simply saw a small guy with a lot of attitude, that throws loud and hard and has a pretty badass tattoo on his entire right arm. I'm no scout, and have no idea how he'll perform on the big stage, but he certainly looks the part...
By the way, with one of the last pitches he tossed during the aforementioned spring training session, Bashlor lost the handle on a fastball and nearly hit Todd Frazier, who -- without skipping a beat -- slammed his bat to the ground and started marching angrily toward Bashlor and the mound...
Feb. 2018: Todd Frazier smiles after taking BP in St. Lucie. Credit: Cerrone, MetsBlog.com
Naturally, Frazier then dropped his bat, pointed and laughed. Bashlor, however, looked beyond nervous and struggled the rest of his session. He got through it, though.
As the session wrapped, Mickey Callaway made a point to walk out to the mound, put his arm on Bashlor's shoulder and seemed to say something that reassured the young man.
Feb. 2018: Bashlor is comforted by Callaway after accidentally hitting Frazier with a pitch. Credit: Cerrone, MetsBlog.com
Matthew Cerrone (Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Contact) is lead writer of MetsBlog.com, which he created in 2003. He also hosts the MetsBlog Podcast, which you can subscribe to here. His new book, The New York Mets Fans' Bucket List, details 44 things every Mets fan should experience during their lifetime. To check it out, click here!