Mets' primary expectation lies with their younger players

The New York Mets are facing a challenging pitching season heading into the playoffs, with two-thirds of their six-man rotation not being reliable for postseason play.

Paul Blackburn, who lost his starting job in spring training, suffered multiple injuries, and was Designated for Assignment (DFAd) last month, has not been a factor for the team. Fellow starter Frankie Montas, in his first year with the Mets, has had a disappointing season with nine appearances, a demotion to the bullpen, a 6.28 ERA, and a season-ending UCL injury.

Tylor Megill, who posted a 5.56 ERA across his last nine starts before hitting the Injured List (IL), and Kodai Senga, the supposed ace of the rotation, have also struggled. Senga has a 5.90 ERA since returning from a hamstring injury and yielded five runs in 4.2 innings against the Marlins on Sunday.

However, there are some bright spots for the Mets. Nolan McLean, a Mets starter, has emerged as a potential ace with less than a month to go in the regular season. McLean has won his first three career starts with a minuscule 0.89 ERA. Jonah Tong, another Mets starter, has also shown promise, allowing one earned run in his debut and boasting six strikeouts and zero walks.

The young pitchers under contract with the Mets who have made a total of only four MLB starts and could appear in the postseason for the Mets are Jonah Tong and Nolan McLean. Tong has made three MLB starts, and McLean has made two, aligning with the scenario of pitchers with few starts being considered for postseason roles.

Brandon Sproat, a top pitching prospect for the Mets, also showed promise in a Triple-A start on Saturday, going seven scoreless innings.

Unfortunately, the Mets have also lost key pitchers to injuries this season. Sean Manaea, last season's second-half and postseason hero, is struggling this season with a 5.01 ERA and only pitching into the sixth inning once in his first nine outings. Griffin Canning was lost for the season due to a ruptured Achilles.

Clay Holmes, who has a 4.64 ERA in his last 11 starts, having doubled his previous high in single-season innings pitched, is another pitcher who has struggled this season.

As the Mets prepare for the postseason, the focus will be on the young pitchers like McLean and Tong to step up and help the team in their quest for a championship.