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MILWAUKEE — Tylor Megill will be thrust onto the biggest stage of his career as Monday’s opening act for the Mets.
After the Mets beat the Brewers, 5-0, on Sunday to set up a doubleheader in Atlanta for the following day in which one win would get the team into the postseason, the right-hander was named as the Game 1 starter.
Megill will face Spencer Schwellenbach.
Carlos Mendoza’s other option on full rest is Luis Severino, who will be saved for Game 2 against Braves ace Chris Sale.
But if the Braves win the first game, Sale almost certainly would be withheld to start Atlanta’s postseason opener a day later.
If the Mets win Game 1, they would be in position to withhold Severino from the start in the nightcap so he also could pitch the first game of the wild-card series.
Megill, as a player with minor league options remaining, could become an unfortunate casualty if the Mets need to recall a starter from the minor leagues to pitch the nightcap.
Megill has pitched to a 1.78 ERA in five starts since returning from Triple-A Syracuse.
He last pitched Sept. 22, when he allowed one earned run over four innings against the Phillies.
Francisco Alvarez felt a hamstring cramp in his right leg and alerted Mendoza, who removed him in the late innings.
Alvarez does not consider the situation serious and indicated he expects to play Monday.
The catcher left Friday’s game with back spasms that at the time, he thought would end his season, but he returned off the bench the following day.
Mendoza defended his decision to deploy Edwin Diaz for the ninth inning with the Mets ahead by five runs.
Diaz hadn’t pitched in a week due to Monday’s off day, postponements and three games in which the Mets were behind in the late innings.
“We didn’t get much length out of our starters the [previous] three days and the way we have been using our bullpen, Diaz needed to pitch and especially in a winning game,” Mendoza said. “He will be OK for [Monday].”
Diaz said he wouldn’t have any issue appearing in both games Monday if needed.
J.D. Martinez isn’t afraid to say it: The potential of beginning a playoff series after playing a Monday doubleheader is less than ideal.
“I wish MLB would kind of push the playoffs back a little bit,” Martinez said. “I think it’s an unfair advantage for the teams that are going to play us [and/or] Atlanta because we know what’s on the line and you are going to have to scratch to win those games. You have to — that’s the only way in. Then you have to turn around and get a flight, you have already flown out the day before, so it’s going to be tough.”
Jose Iglesias went 2-for-5 to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 20 games.
Iglesias is hitting .418 during the streak.
Ozzie Virgil Sr., the first native Dominican to play in the major leagues and a longtime coach and advisor in player development for the Mets, has died at age 92, it was announced by MLB.
Last year the Mets inducted Virgil into the club’s newly created Latin American Hall of Fame.
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