Jeremy Hefner doesn’t get ‘credit he deserves’ for transforming Mets’ pitching into sudden strength
NY Post
MILWAUKEE — Beginning Friday the Mets are facing the prospect of finishing the marathon season with a sprint of five games in four days, exhausting a rotation that might not have a starter available on regular rest for Game 1 of a wild-card series and expecting a bullpen that has stabilized to perform in the most important innings of the season.
It is a lot to ask from the group, but perhaps it is being asked at the right time.
The Mets pitching staff, according to FanGraphs, has been the most valuable in the majors in September.
Every starting pitcher has taken leaps from the beginning of the season.
The bullpen has evolved but finally settled into a strength.
The Mets have discovered an ace in Sean Manaea, who will start Friday — the only starter in the series against the Brewers the team has announced, with a possible doubleheader in Atlanta looming Monday.
Every one of his 23 catches is preserved in his stat log. The same with his 271 receiving yards and his three touchdowns. His 37 targets reflect that he is not one of the focal points — he is the focal point. The leaps into the air to snare the ball and quick pivots and spins to wriggle past defenders are newly minted memories for fans who went from wait-and-see to here-and-now when it comes to anointing this youngster as legit.