ST. LOUIS (AP) — Pitching prospect Blade Tidwell will be called up by the New York Mets to make his major league debut as the starter Sunday at the St. Louis Cardinals, manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday.
The Mets are in a stretch of playing on 13 consecutive days, and promoting Tidwell will allow their other starters to get a break.
“He earned it,” Mendoza said of Tidwell, a second-round draft pick in 2022. “We know the stuff is there. We saw flashes of it in spring training. And the way he’s been throwing the ball, especially of late.”
Entering Friday, the Mets’ rotation had allowed four runs or fewer in 32 consecutive starts, the longest such stretch to start a season in the National League in 125 years. New York leads the majors with a 2.68 ERA and 303 strikeouts.
Twice last month, including the last time through the rotation, the Mets have gone with a bullpen game and started Huascar Brazoban. Mendoza said Tidwell would start so he could maintain his pregame routine.
Tidwell, a 23-year-old right-hander, is 1-2 with a 5.00 ERA in six starts for Triple-A Syracuse this season. He has struck out 37 in 27 innings.
“I think the balls in play (are) a little high in Triple-A, you know, but it comes down to executing — throwing strikes — because we know how electric his stuff is,” Mendoza said. “We’re all proud of him, and he’s going to get an opportunity.”
Before Friday’s game, the Mets also made a bullpen move. Right-hander Austin Warren was recalled from Syracuse and righty Ty Adcock was optioned there after making just one appearance.
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