Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt Have Taken Mets Rotation to Next Level

The two pitchers, who joined the Mets this past winter, have changed the complexion of the team's rotation and have set them up for success during stretch run.

What a difference a year makes. 

In 2021, once Jacob deGrom went down and missed the second half of the season, the team struggled to fill the massive hole left in the rotation.

Marcus Stroman did a strong job of being an anchor in deGrom's absence, as he logged 3.4 fWAR in 33 starts.

Taijuan Walker, who was the Mets lone All-Star in 2021 had a dreadful second half, where he pitched to a 7.13 ERA in 13 starts.

Beyond that, the rotation was held together by Scotch Tape, as the team stumbled out of first place and missed the playoffs for the fifth straight year.

The rotation was a top priority for the team this past winter, and its two big acquisitions in Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt have been as advertised.

It sounds silly to say Scherzer has been as advertised, but he's given the Mets a vintage season at 38-years old, while Bassitt has been a workhorse for New York and has given them another reliable arm behind Scherzer and deGrom.

For Scherzer, he did miss several weeks with an oblique injury, but in 17 games started, he has been worth 3.7 fWAR to go with a 2.15 ERA, 2.41 FIP and 3.27 xFIP. 

Bassitt, in 22 starts, has been worth 2.1 fWAR and has pitched to a 3.27 ERA, 3.56 FIP and 3.66 xFIP.

Since the start of July, Scherzer and Bassitt have been a killer duo for the Mets, as they both rank in the top five in ERA since that time, (1.82 and 1.79, respectively).

With deGrom back and healthy again, the picture has started to form of what a playoff rotation would look like.

The team has dealt with a bit of an injury bug in recent days, as Carlos Carrasco is shelved with a lat strain for 3-4 weeks and Walker has a slight bulging disc in his back and is day-to-day.

Realistically though, they just need one of those pitchers to be healthy behind the top trio. 

Regardless, the top three are sure to give hitters fits if the Mets make it to the playoffs.

Read More:

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- How Bobby Bonilla's Infamous Contract Deferral Selling For $180 Thousand Came to Be

- Is It Time For the New York Mets to Consider Brett Baty or Mark Vientos?

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