A potential pitching duel between former Yankees teammates instead turned into survival of the fittest.
Luis Severino wasn’t as sharp Friday as he often has been for the Mets, but he figured out how to be better than his counterpart Jordan Montgomery, whose lousy start to the season and even more disastrous record at Citi Field both continued in his new Diamondbacks Uniform.
The Mets, who signed Severino but did not get involved in Montgomery’s surprisingly lukewarm free agent market this offseason, blitzed the left-hander for eight runs on nine hits over four innings in a 10- 9.
“I feel like my sinker just went BP (batting practice) right now,” Montgomery said. “I have to find a way to make it move and get down in the zone. I feel like I’m just throwing and I’m not even throwing anymore.
It was clear from the start that this wasn’t going to be an ode to either pitcher’s best days in the Bronx, where they were in the same rotation at times from 2017-2021.
The Mets responded to the Diamondbacks’ three-run first inning with a four-run rally of their own.
“Tonight, the best case scenario is a 1-0 game and we win,” Montgomery said. “I always want the best for Sevy: to be healthy. I always support him when he doesn’t oppose us.
Only one pitcher sort of settled in from there — and the Mets bullpen nearly snuffed him out by allowing four runs in the ninth inning.
“The (hitters) came in hot and had my back out there,” Severino said. “I want to get a shutout too, but I was struggling today.”
Severino (3-2) retired the side in order in the second and fourth innings and got out of a two-on-two-out jam in the fifth as his velocity increased, allowing the Mets to take a lead 8-4.
He was removed with one out in the sixth after his 97th pitch was returned for a solo home run by Eugenio Suarez.
“I felt a little down in the first two rounds, kind of like… low energy,” said Severino, who fueled up in the second round with what he described as energizing honey snacks. “It made me a lot better after that.”
Montgomery, who was a postseason star for the 2023 World Series champion Rangers, has yet to find his rhythm after missing spring training.
He gave up three-run triples to Starling Marte, RBI doubles to Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso and RBI singles to Marte and Mark Vientos, raising his career ERA in three starts at Citi Field to 16.75.
“I feel like every time I’m here, I’m giving up a stink,” Montgomery said. “I just have to be better. No excuses.”
Montgomery (3-3) owns a 5.48 ERA in eight starts while signing a one-year, $25 million contract — about double the one-year, $13 million Severino agreed to after a late career plagued by injuries.
It was only the third time in 11 starts that Severino allowed more than three earned runs (five), but all three have been since May 5.
New York Post
