Mets pitching prospect Zack Wheeler turned in his third consecutive stellar outing Saturday for Triple-A Las Vegas, providing him more merit for a possible promotion to the big-league club. Wheeler held Albuquerque (Dodgers) to just two runs and six hits over a season-high 7 1/3 innings while striking out seven batters -- the third consecutive outing he has completed at least six innings after not hitting that plateau in his first five starts.
During that three-game span, which has come after dismissing a nagging blister issue, Wheeler has posted a 3-0 record with a glistening 0.62 ERA along with 19 strikeouts and just two walks. He has also permitted just one home run over the 20 innings.
Despite the team's need of steady starting pitching, the organization seems divided on when the right-hander will make his MLB debut. According to the New York Daily News, the Mets are not concerned about keeping Wheeler in the minors to avoid becoming a Super Two player, which would affect when he could become a free agent.
"The timetable has accelerated a lot," a club official told the newspaper after his start last Sunday. "He's had two good ones, and if he has two more, you'll see him up here. If all goes well we’re talking about June 1 at the latest."
However, another source called that date "a little aggressive" for a promotion and said a call-up would be based solely on Wheeler's readiness.