Tobias Myers, once a valued pitcher for the New York Mets early in the season, is facing significant challenges in Triple-A Syracuse and is currently far from the major league mix as the season progresses. The right-hander, who was demoted in June, has posted an 8.24 earned run average over his last eight appearances, most recently pitching as a starter.
Myers began the season as a swingman for the Mets after being acquired in a trade with the Brewers last winter. Interim manager Andy Green noted that Myers possesses the "stuff that gets people out in the big leagues," but it has not been evident in Triple-A recently. Green expressed confidence in Myers' ability to improve, stating, "He has the capacity to change that. He’s got great work ethic. He’s just got to demonstrate it. If he does, I fully expect to see him."
The most significant issue contributing to Myers' struggles is a dip in velocity. According to Green, Myers was sitting around 90 mph in his most recent outing. This contrasts with a successful outing last year where his fastball reached up to 98 mph and sat at 96 mph, allowing him to "bully hitters." Green emphasized that the pitching group is available to assist Myers, but the responsibility to regain his velocity and effectiveness lies with him. "That belongs to him, and our pitching group is there to help him. But he’s got the opportunity to change that and he’s somebody we do believe in and want back here," Green said.
In other Mets news, Cristian Pache has been receiving an opportunity as the team's fifth outfielder following the trade of Tyrone Taylor to the Cubs. Pache, who spent much of the season in Syracuse, stated, "I will keep working to play. I want to do more for the team." Green highlighted Pache's elite defense and baserunning as valuable skill sets that fit his role, particularly when Brett Baty starts in the outfield.
Francisco Alvarez's performance in August has also drawn positive attention. Entering play, he had an .838 OPS for the month. Green described Alvarez's at-bats as consistently competitive, noting the presence of power, hits, and an increasing ability to drive in runs. "Alvy’s ceiling is still astronomically high. He has the capacity to do so much in this game and to see a lot of it come out and see his OPS continue to march northward, it’s fun to see," Green commented.
The Mets currently hold an 18-21 record against NL East opponents this season. The team is scheduled to continue its division slate with a three-game series against the Nationals beginning Friday at Citi Field.