Right-handed pitching prospect Brandon Sproat is in "strong consideration" for a start with the Mets, reports SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino.
Sproat, 24, is coming off one of his best starts of the season for Triple-A Syracuse, where he fired 7.0 shutout innings while allowing three hits, walking two, and striking out nine.
Since making a change ahead of his start on June 28 — basically deciding to be more aggressive and let it fly — Sproat has a 2.44 ERA in 59.0 innings.
He's also been missing bats at a higher clip, racking up eight or more strikeouts on five occasions since then after not doing so at all over his first 15 games of the season.
While he relies heavily on a four-seam fastball that sits in the mid-to-upper 90s and touches 100 mph, Sproat also has a sinker, sweeper, gyro slider, and changeup.
The Mets' rotation is in a bit of flux, with the team waiting to see if Kodai Senga will accept a temporary assignment to the minors — where he would be able to work on his mechanics and other things that have ailed him during his recent rough stretch.
David Peterson will start Friday's series-opener against the Reds in Cincinnati, while Jonah Tong gets the ball on Saturday in what will be his second big league start.
It's possible Nolan McLean starts on Sunday, with Sean Manaea opening the series against the Phillies on Monday. But a Sproat promotion could lead to things being flipped around a bit.
After facing the Reds over the weekend, the Mets head to Philadelphia for a four-game series against the Phillies before returning home to open a three-game series against the Rangers on Friday, Sept. 12.
If the Mets reach the playoffs, Sproat can easily be added to the roster if he's deemed to be a fit despite not being on the 40-man roster by Sept. 1.
