Tylor Megill Sharp in First Start vs Astros
Like some of his teammates in the rotation, Tylor Megill entered the 2025 season with something to prove.
The right-hander has had some ups but more downs throughout his career. The stuff has always been there, but a lack of command and control has played a big role in his struggles. Can Megill turn the corner and find the best version of himself this season? He certainly passed his first test.
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Megill earned his first win of the season Friday, allowing three hits and one run over five-plus innings against the Houston Astros. He started his outing off by retiring the first nine batters, including three strikeouts. Megill gave up his only earned run in the fourth, but nothing more.
After a sacrifice fly from Yordan Alvarez got the Astros on the board, the Mets’ starter struck out Christian Walker and Yainer Diaz to end the inning. Megill would start the sixth, but after the first two men reached base, he was lifted from that game.
Over the years, Megill’s pitch mix has changed quite a bit. He has plenty of options to utilize, keeping opposing hitters off-balance as long as his control is in effect. Megill used five different pitches against the Astros, with his slider grabbing the most attention. He threw 17 of them, allowing no hits and striking out four with his best breaking ball. His slider resulted in five whiffs on eight swings.
It is safe to say Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was impressed with Megill’s outing.
“If he’s aggressive and he’s trusting his pitches in the zone? He’s a guy, he’s a dude,” Mendoza stated. “He’s got that potential, he’s been through a lot in this league, and he’s ready to take that next step.”
There is no denying that Megill has the arm and the stuff to be an effective, consistent starter in the big leagues. Can he finally turn a corner in 2025? It is possible. Of the 19 batters he faced in Houston, he threw a first-pitch strike to 11 of them. If he can get ahead of hitters’ consistency with his expanded pitch mix, the potential for a standout season is there. Something to keep an eye on.
“Putting pressure on hitters, getting ahead early, and getting to two strikes as fast as possible,” Megill said. “That allows me to go after them with the secondary stuff and get some strikeouts and then some weak contact.”
Overall, it was a positive night for him. Building off of that will be the biggest test for Megill. His next start will come in the home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday afternoon.
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