The New York Mets’ already thin starting rotation suffered another tough setback Thursday night when Griffin Canning exited the team’s 4-0 win over the Atlanta Braves with a suspected Achilles injury—an issue that could potentially end his season.
In the wake of the victory, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza made it clear what he expects from his team moving forward, at least through mid-July.
“Guys will step up,” Mendoza said, via John Flanigan of SNY. “Our mindset is focused on what we can do today. I have full confidence in the group we have, and I believe the players who come up will put us in position to win games. We’ve done it before, and we’ll keep doing it.”
Though Frankie Montas recently made his long-awaited Mets debut after recovering from a lat strain suffered in spring training, New York entered the weekend still without ace Kodai Senga, right-hander Tylor Megill, and lefty Sean Manaea. As Jerry Beach of the Associated Press pointed out, Senga has been sidelined with a hamstring strain since June 12, Megill hasn’t pitched since June 14 due to a right elbow sprain, and Manaea—already rehabbing an oblique injury—was recently shut down again after a bone chip was discovered in his elbow.
“I know [team president David Stearns] and his staff are working hard on their end,” Mendoza added, via Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News. “For us, it’s about sticking together, taking it one day at a time, and not getting too far ahead of ourselves.”
With the MLB trade deadline looming on July 31, there’s no guarantee that outside help will arrive soon. As noted by Will Sammon of The Athletic, right-handed pitching prospect Blade Tidwell is expected to join the club for their weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates (32–50), which begins Friday.
Despite the injury woes, there was a silver lining Thursday: the Mets (48–34) reclaimed the top spot in the National League East standings following back-to-back wins over Atlanta. It was a welcome bounce back after a brutal stretch in which they lost 10 of 11.
“Everyone believes in one another,” Manaea said following the Canning injury, according to David Lennon of Newsday. “It’s a next-man-up mentality, and every pitcher that’s taken the mound for us has stepped up. I don’t think that’s going to change. Injuries are part of the game, but we’ll keep pushing forward.”
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