After leading the NL East for much of the season, a disastrous 2-13 stretch has dropped the New York Mets five games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. The starting rotation, once the best in the league, has barely managed to pitch five full innings in a recent five-game stretch, crushing the bullpen.

Frankie Montas pitched so poorly (6.28 ERA) that the team demoted him to the bullpen. Clay Holmes, who was brilliant earlier in the season, is showing problems with workload and a 5.45 ERA since July. Even ace Kodai Senga has struggled to pitch deep into games since his return from the IL. Sean Manaea has also struggled to pitch more than six innings with just one in his last seven outings. The only hope, who was consistently pitching more than six, David Peterson also struggled in his last outing while allowing 6 runs in 5 hits in just 3.1 innings against the Braves.

The Rangers dropped a playoff-tested pitcher onto the market, giving every team a backup plan. Texas placed Jon Gray on the waiver wire, offering the former deadline rental for this season’s remainder at a modest $3 million. He was a key arm in the Rangers’ World Series run last year. But as Ken Rosenthal reported, there was a shocking lack of interest. The reports say, “no team willing to assume the approximately $3 million remaining on his contract.”

The New York Mets, like every other club, ignored the opportunity to add him to their roster.

So why did every team, especially the Mets, say no? Gray’s performance this season has been unexpectedly bad. The Rangers now use him in a “mop-up capacity, and his opportunities might further reduce when righty Tyler Mahle returns from the injured list,” as per Rosenthal’s report. Gray surrendered four runs in just over two innings against Toronto in his most recent outing. That performance pushed his season ERA from 6.17 to 7.71.

This stunning decline raises questions about the pitcher’s future.

What Happens Now?

According to Rosenthal, the Rangers have a few choices. They can keep Gray and see if, in some way, he turns things around. Also, they can put him out on waivers before the August 31 deadline.  The option to release him is also there.

The Rangers, at this stage, are on the edge of the playoff race. If they drop back in the pack more, they may also look to waive veterans like Merrill Kelly, Patrick Corbin, as well as relief pitchers Danny Coulombe and Phil Maton in an attempt to save money.

It’s a struggle to see how Gray’s form has fallen so quickly. At his best, he was a top-shelf starting pitcher. In 2022, when he was with the Rangers, we saw his best season. He put up a 3.96 ERA, which was solid, and also put away almost 9.5 batters per nine innings. Also, he was a key member of the bullpen during the Rangers’ 2023 World Series win. He pitched two scoreless innings in the Fall Classic. These are the facts that supported the Mets’ decision to take a chance on him.

The Mets didn’t chase after Gray; rather, they made some recent moves that show the seriousness of the situation. The Mets called up their No. 3 prospect, Nolan McLean, in the place of demoted pitcher Frankie Montas. The 24-year-old, in fact, pitched very well in his debut, threw out 5.1 scoreless innings, and struck out 8. Also, the team is expected to have starter Tylor Megill back from the injured list soon. To make room for McLean, the Mets designated veteran Paul Blackburn, who had a 6.85 ERA in seven appearances.