Stroman Throws Seven Strong in Tough Luck Loss

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The Mets sent Marcus Stroman to the mound to try and finish off the four-game sweep of the Cubs at Citi Field Thursday night. To do so, the Mets offense had to solve the Rubik’s Cube that is Kyle Hendricks, who had been a tough out for the Mets of late. Stroman was strong per usual as he unleashed his split-change, a new weapon in his pitching arsenal.

He threw 22 split-changes on Thursday night, getting six whiffs on 10 swings and three called strikes. Opponents now have a .186 average for the season against the new pitch.

Stroman’s slider is the pitch that got him into trouble on Thursday with all four of the hits he allowed coming off that pitch. He looked to have less command of the pitch –tossed a hanger to Baez– than normal and his spin rate on the pitch was down 88 rpms.

“It’s a new weapon and I feel like it’s getting better every time I throw it. The more I can put it into the game, the better feel I can have for throwing it on the outside and inside corner down,” Stroman said about his new pitch. When asked about that first inning, he went on to say “Mechanically, I was a little off in the first. I need to be better. If I put up a zero in the first, I think it gives our offense more momentum.”

He only allowed two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and only one walk. But those two runs came on a Javier Baez home run in the first inning and that was all the offense in this game as Hendricks would keep the Mets off the scoreboard with a final line of no runs on two hits and seven strikeouts, despite having to work around back to back walks.

The Mets, now on the verge of Michael Conforto and Jeff McNeil returning from injury, head for Washington this weekend to take on the Nationals for a four-game set, including a double-header on Saturday before returning home to face Atlanta and Philadelphia in key divisional matchups in which they are hopeful to have Jacob deGrom start in two of those games.

“I think it re-assures the strength of this group. We are unbelievable. We are in a great vibe here. Once we get some of these guys back from the IL we are really going to take off,” Stroman said about the Mets prospects going forward.

Stroman now has a 2.34 ERA through his first 14 starts of the season, that ranks 10th in the National League. The impending free agent has given up just 69 hits and 19 walks in 84 1/3 innings.

The right-handers next start will come against the Braves at Citi Field.

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