NEW YORK — The “use only in an emergency” option was not utilized by the New York Mets on Tuesday. Now, right-hander Jacob deGrom goes in the most urgent situation of all — Game 5.
Instead of spraying champagne Tuesday night, the Mets boarded a flight for Los Angeles following a 3-1 loss to the Dodgers in Game 4 of the National League Division Series at Citi Field.
The Dodgers’ win evened the series at two games apiece and ensured deGrom — the Mets’ ace in reality, if not perception — will start Thursday night against Dodgers right-hander Zack Greinke as the two teams battle to decide who advances to face the Chicago Cubs in the NL Championship Series.
“There’s a reason why we thought, ‘Hey, look, if we’re up 2-1 (going into) Game 4, we’re going to save him because he’s the guy we want on the mound,’” Mets manager Terry Collins said.
However, the Mets might have preferred to use him Tuesday, when deGrom warmed up in the fifth inning. Afterward, Collins said the Mets held off on having deGrom throw his pregame bullpen session in case rookie left-hander Steven Matz, who was making just his seventh big league start and pitching for the first time in 19 days, got to the middle innings with a lead.
“We told him this afternoon not to throw his ‘pen until later in the game,” Collins said. “Had we got the lead and we felt we needed a bridge, we were going to use him.”
Instead, the Dodgers scored three times off Matz in the third, so deGrom was simply getting his work in.
“We were still down two,” Collins said. “I said get him throwing so we can get that over with.”
Now, the Mets need deGrom to ensure their season doesn’t end Thursday. DeGrom followed up an impressive first full season in the majors (14-8 with a 2.54 ERA) with a spectacular effort in Game 1. He earned the win after allowing five hits and one walk while striking out 13 over seven shutout innings in the Mets’ 3-1 victory.
DeGrom will be pitching on five days rest while Greinke, who led the majors in ERA at 1.66 and won Game 2 on Saturday, will be pitching on four days’ rest.
“We’ll have a whole host of guys in the bullpen behind him,” Collins said. “But you know he’s had regular rest, so that’s a good sign. That’s good for him. And you kind of feel real confident that he’s pitched well out there (and) that he’s going to go out and do it again.
“And once again, this is a time when you need your guys to step up. And you certainly think he’ll do that.”