Every big league dream starts with a phone call. For the Mets’ newest starter, it came when he least expected it.
“It was a complete surprise, but it’s pretty exciting,” said right-hander Blade Tidwell, just days after learning he was heading to the show.
For the New York Mets, it wasn’t just about filling a hole in the rotation. It was about rolling the dice on promise, not perfection.
Looking for fresh arms in a weary rotation
The Mets need innings. With five starters already carrying heavy workloads, manager Carlos Mendoza wanted a sixth man to ease the pressure.
That’s where Tidwell comes in — not as a polished product, but as a potential shot of adrenaline for a team trying to stay afloat.
His 5.00 ERA over 27 Triple-A innings isn’t dazzling. But the Mets looked beyond that.
They saw the 12.33 strikeouts per nine, the 66.3% left-on-base rate, and his recent dominance across two outings: 18 strikeouts over nine innings.
“He earned it,” Mendoza said. “We know the stuff is there. Some of the numbers are inflated a little bit, but he’s throwing strikes, using all of his pitches.”
Don’t let the ERA fool you — the stuff is legit
Tidwell isn’t giving up much hard contact, and his ground ball rate of 37.9% adds stability to his profile.
Still, the ERA raises questions. But the young righty isn’t sweating the surface-level stats.
“I don’t really look too far into the statistics this early into the season,” he explained. “The BABIP was high, usually that’ll equal out over time.”
There’s a maturity in that answer — one that speaks to a pitcher more focused on process than panic.
His confidence in his approach gives the Mets reason to believe they’re promoting a pitcher trending in the right direction.
Past inconsistencies, but recent dominance
Tidwell’s track record has always been a bit uneven.
Last year, he posted a 4.86 ERA over 122.1 innings, flashing brilliance in Double-A before running into issues at Triple-A.
But pitching development isn’t linear, and the Mets have seen enough recent improvement to justify the call-up.
This isn’t a long-term commitment — it’s a look. And if he continues striking out hitters at his current clip, it could be something more.
A chance to turn momentum into opportunity
Sometimes, promotions are about more than numbers. They’re about trust in the process — a belief in tools over tidiness.
Tidwell has the arm talent. The velocity, the strikeout stuff, the mound presence. The Mets are hoping the rest can catch up in the majors.
He may take some lumps early, but if he adjusts quickly, this surprise promotion could help stabilize a rotation on the edge of exhaustion.
Every season needs an unlikely hero. The Mets are hoping they just found one.
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