Mets bullpen ruins Carlos Mendozas decision to pull Brandon Sproat earl

Acce s the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. Brandon Sproats impre sive Citi Field debut got the young guns back on track. The Mets, in general, not so much. The rookie righty worked six scorele s innings in his first home start, but another flush job by the bullpen resulted in an eighth straight Mets lo s Saturday, . One day after fellow rookie Jonah Tong , the 24-year-old Sproat scattered six hits in his six frames. He didnt walk anyone and mostly pitched to contact, with three strikeouts in an efficient 70-pitch outing. Carlos Mendoza explained that he turned over a 2-0 lead to the pen in the seventh after noticing a dip in Sproats velocity and some Mo Bamba Jersey hard contact by the Rangers in the sixth. Brandon Sproat pitches during the Mets 3-2 lo s to the Rangers on Sept. 13, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Explore More CHECK OUT THE AND Even though there were only 70 pitches, when you look up in that inning, there was a big-time velo drop, Mendoza said. Like 5-6 mph, from like 97-98 to 93, and there were some hard-hit balls there. He got through that inning, and I checked with him, like, Physically, are you fine? He said yes, but I said, Im gonna go to the bullpen here. He wanted to keep going and you respect that. But when youre watching an inning like that hes a guy that holds his velo. So I wasnt going to take any chances. Mendoza then insisted no, not at all when asked the natural follow-up question about any potential concern over Sproats physical condition. Edwin Diaz reacts during the Mets lo s to the Rangers on Sept. 13, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST The rookie also dismi sed those queries, saying multiple times, Im good, afterward. My goal is to just go out there and pitch as long as I can, compete for as long as I can until they take the ball from me, Sproat said. I respect their call. Thats his call. Obviously I never want the ball taken from me, Im a competitor. I wanted to keep going, but I trust his decision and trust the bullpen behind me. Tyler Rogers and Edwin Daz combined to give up three runs in the eighth and ninth innings to cost Sproat his first big league win. Sproat suffered the lo s despite a quality start three runs over six innings in his MLB debut last Sunday against the Reds. The 2023 second-round pick made it through six scorele s this time, lowering his ERA to 2.25, with a third straight rookie, Nolan McLean (4-1, 1.42 ERA), slated to start Sundays series finale. [Sproat] was good. That sinker was good. He kept getting ground balls, Mendoza said. I thought the sinker was his pitch today, and then he went to the sweeper. He used all of his pitches. He threw strikes. He attacked. Weak contact. I thought overall he was solid. Thats back-to-back outings that weve seen it. He knows where were at. For him to go out there, thats a hot lineup right now, and he kind of shut them down. Some really positive signs out of him. Jordan Bone Jersey