Reed Garrett waits for the cellphone to ring, nevertheless it would possibly as nicely be an alarm.
By means of practically 4 weeks of the season, there hasn’t been a greater fireman in baseball.
“I feel it’s simply a type of issues the place the cellphone rings and my title is being known as, and issues have gone nicely to this point,” Garrett mentioned earlier than the Mets beat the Phillies 5-1 at Citi Subject on Tuesday.
Getting into play, nobody in MLB had inherited extra base runners (9) with out permitting one to attain.
Garrett, who himself had pitched 9 ²/₃ innings with out an earned run, had not allowed anybody else’s runner to attain, both.
Garrett routinely enters hazard and routinely leaves nonetheless respiratory (and infrequently roaring off the mound).
On Monday, Tylor Megill walked Bryce Harper and gave the ball to Garrett with one out within the sixth inning of a recreation the Mets led by two runs.
Garrett did enable a two-out single to Max Kepler, however he used a sinker to strike out J.T. Realmuto and guarantee his excellent streak continued.
The 32-year-old didn’t notice coming into the season that his function primarily would grow to be bailing out the workforce steadily within the center innings, however he’s comfortable to take action.
He feels nicely geared up for the gig significantly after making seven playoff appearances final season, permitting runs in two.
“I attempt to keep as even-keeled with adrenaline as I can,” Garrett mentioned. “I feel pitching within the playoffs final yr and getting the expertise that I received final yr has positively contributed to my consolation on the market.”
He’s comfy in his function on the workforce and comfy merely on the workforce.
The Mets claimed Garrett, then a journeyman, from the Orioles in June 2023.
He spent all the ensuing offseason on the Mets roster, then broke out final yr and returned this spring as a confirmed commodity.
This spring represented the primary time in Garrett’s main league profession, which started in 2019 with the Tigers, that he spent consecutive spring trainings with the identical workforce.
“Simply being across the identical group of individuals and having the identical teaching employees and having the identical folks speak to you about the place you had been final yr and what you probably did and stuff like that — I feel that has been helpful for me,” Garrett mentioned.
Brandon Nimmo wasn’t within the beginning lineup Tuesday, with supervisor Carlos Mendoza noting the Mets dealing with a troublesome lefty in Cristopher Sánchez and the workforce within the midst of a 13-day stretch within the schedule with no break day.
Nimmo, who was bothered by plantar fasciitis in his left foot final yr, mentioned the difficulty hasn’t bothered him this season.
“We’re in a great place,’’ Nimmo mentioned. “I simply wish to carry on high of it.”
Nimmo is simply 5-for-31 with no extra-base hits, a stroll and eight strikeouts in his final eight video games.
Mark Vientos, who left Saturday’s recreation with groin discomfort and sat Sunday and Monday, returned to the beginning lineup and performed third base.
