Photo by Ed Delany, MMN
LHP Thomas Szapucki made his Double-A debut against the Portland Sea Dogs, the Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, and he would not allow an earned run over his 4.0 innings pitched.
It wasn’t the smoothest of beginnings for Szapucki as he hit the first-ever batter he faced at the level. It was the first of two batters he hit in a night where Szapucki proved to be effectively wild.
The only run scored against him was an unearned run in the second partially due to a two-base fielding error by Quinn Brodey with one out in the inning. For a moment, it seemed as if Szapucki would get out of the inning unscathed, but he’d allow a two-out double to Charlie Madden on a 3-2 pitch.
Szapucki would respond by getting out of the inning, and then he’d record his only 1-2-3 inning in the third.
Szapucki was playing with fire in the fourth loading the bases, but he’d respond by striking out Nick Lovullo to end the jam and his night.
#Mets prospect Thomas Szapucki’s Double-A debut was successful. The left-hander did not allow an earned run and struck out four in four innings.
Across three levels, his season ERA sits at 2.63. pic.twitter.com/3rN2PoOpvZ
— Jacob Resnick (@Jacob_Resnick) August 27, 2019
In total, Szapucki would throw 81 pitches over his 4.0 innings pitched with only 49 of those being strikes. Notably, the 81 pitches were a season-high in what has been his first season since undergoing Tommy John surgery in July 2017. He’d allow just two hits while walking one, plunking two, and striking out four.
This was his third straight start allowing one earned or fewer, and he has allowed two earned or fewer in 20 of his 21 starts this season. Perhaps more important than that is the fact Szapucki has continued to build up his arm strength allowing him to throw more pitches and go deeper into games.
With Binghamton’s season ending on September 2, this might’ve been his last start of the season. That’s the last regular season start he’ll make before the Mets have to make a decision on whether they want to add him to the 40 man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
If this was the end of his season, Szapucki was 1-3 with a 2.63 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and a 10.5 K/9 in 61.2 innings pitched over 21 starts.
