It’s important for Mets fans not to get ahead of themselves after an inconsistent start to the 2017 season. Baseball’s ebbs and flows over such a long season are one of the things that truly make the game beautiful.
That being said, Robert Gsellman is not afforded that kind of time after the start he’s had to the season.
In three appearances and two starts, the 23-year-old is 0-1 with a 9.28 ERA after allowing 11 runs and 13 hits in just 10.2 innings of work.
He’s only gotten worse, too. After allowing three runs on six hits in five innings to the Marlins on April 8, Gsellman came back five days later against the very same lineup and was shellacked for eight runs on five hits with three walks over 4.2 innings.
Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen looks as though he’s pinpointed the problem, as he spoke with Mike Puma of the New York Post.
“I saw inconsistency in his release points. He is getting long right now,” Warthen said. “I think he is over-trying, so I think he will be able to figure it out in his next bullpen session and get it back.”
For a young pitcher, it’s a natural obstacle to occur so early in the season, but made it difficult Gsellman to meet such high expectations as he met last year.
After being called up from triple-A in August after the Mets’ rotation was decimated by injuries, Gsellman went 4-2 with a 2.42 ERA in eight appearances.
At that time of year, Warthen admitted that “your timing is good” and “everything is right.”
Gsellman might not be afforded a lot more time to get things right, though.
Steven Matz is working his way back from a strained flexor tendon in his elbow and the team is hoping he can come back sometime in May.
Seth Lugo is also rehabbing a partially torn UCL that will hold him out for several weeks, although an exact timetable is not clear as of yet.
If either of them can get to full health and make it back to the big club, Gsellman’s starting status with the Mets could be in serious jeopardy.
Gsellman is expected to go Wednesday night opposite Vince Velasquez and the Philadelphia Phillies.
He faced the Phillies three times last season, compiling a 2-1 record while allowing five runs in 19 innings of work.
