On Sunday, April 14, 2024, the New York Mets had a pitcher’s duel game against the Kansas City Royals. The Mets won 2-1 and took their third series in a row on a day in which they retired Dwight Gooden‘s number. You could argue that Gooden’s number retirement ceremony was the most important highlight of the day, but how about José Buttó? He was the starting pitcher for Sunday’s game after being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse, and he had a spectacular performance on the mound.
Buttó, 26, struck out nine batters in six innings and only allowed two hits in Sunday’s outing against the Royals. He has been proving to the world that he deserves to stick around as a starter in the Mets rotation based on his recent performances. So, let’s talk about why exactly he should stay in the rotation.
Why José Buttó Should Be a Starter in Mets Rotation
His ability to provide length
It’s known that if your starting pitcher can consistently go deep in games, you’re in great shape to win. That’s exactly what Buttó has been doing. He is demonstrating that he can give the Mets length, thus resulting in them not having to use the bullpen much.
It wasn’t just Sunday that showed this skill. He also pitched six innings in the second game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers a couple of weeks ago. And, if you look at how he did late last season, he gave good, quality starts going five or six innings. So, this has been something that Buttó has become capable of recently. It’s helping the Mets out tremendously and so far this season they haven’t lost when he pitches, probably because of the length he is providing in his starts.
He feels comfortable and confident in his role
After Sunday’s game against the Royals, Buttó said in an interview that he feels comfortable with his pitches no matter what the count is. He also mentioned that he has lots of confidence and is continuing to improve every day. The Mets should feel the same way. When a player goes out there and gives it all they got and positive results are happening, that’s when you know that it should be worth keeping that player around for at least the foreseeable future. Buttó is a great example.
He provides depth
The depth that Buttó provides the Mets is outstanding. Because of the way he has been pitching lately, he can be looked at as one of the best fifth starters you’ll ever see. Or, maybe he could slide in the No. 3 spot, and one of the other guys who’s already in there can be No. 5. Whatever the case may be, Buttó gives the team solid depth, and honestly that’s more than what they could’ve asked for, especially with Kodai Senga now on the 60-day injured list.
What will happen when Senga and Tylor Megill return?
This is something the Mets are going to have to think about very carefully. As of now, Megill is on the injured list with a shoulder strain, and nobody knows when exactly he’ll be ready to return. The team will have a major decision on their hands in terms of what to do with Buttó when that time eventually comes. The decision is even more difficult knowing that they chose Megill for the No. 5 rotation spot over Buttó, even though Buttó had a great spring training statistically. Senga, on the other hand, is eligible to return in late May. It may be one of the “good problems” to have, but for the Mets, it’s going to take a lot of critical thinking if they want to win more games to help them make a postseason run.
Main Image: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
