The Brewers took a tough 4-0 loss to the Mets on Tuesday, and former Mets prospect Brandon Sproat was on the mound facing the team that drafted him. You know he wanted to show out, but New York got the better of him and tied up the series.
The Early Struggles & The Quick Hook
From the jump, Sproat just could not get his pitch count under control. We’re talking nearly 30 pitches to get through a scoreless first, plus two walks, and that’s never a good sign. Sproat himself admitted, “It was roughly 30 pitches in the first, two walks doesn’t help. We’ve been down this road before…it’s not my first time at it.” He talked about trying to keep making pitches, hoping for a five-pitch inning to get back on track. But it never happened. Jared Young launched a solo shot in the second, and by the fifth inning, it all unraveled. After two outs, Sproat walked Bo Bichette on six pitches, hitting 99 pitches. Brewers manager Pat Murphy had seen enough, pulling Sproat after just 4.2 innings. To make it worse, the bullpen couldn’t hold it, letting two more runs score in that inning and really putting Sproat’s night in the books. His final line: 4.2 innings, four strikeouts, but also two runs allowed on four hits and four walks. Ouch.
The Chess Match and the Former Teammate’s Shine
You gotta wonder if the extra adrenaline of facing his old squad messed with his efficiency, right? But Sproat shut that down, saying it was “nothing extra” and the “only difference is seeing familiar faces.” He called it a “good challenge” and a “chess game” since they all know each other. Definitely a fun matchup, even in a loss. But here’s the kicker: pitching opposite Sproat was none other than Zac Thornton, drafted by the Mets in the fifth round in 2023, the same year Sproat went in the second. And man, Thornton had a night Sproat could only dream of, tossing six scoreless innings to snag his first big league win! Sproat even tipped his cap, calling Thornton a “super crafty lefty” who “mixes super well” and has the “pitchability” to not be afraid of anyone in the box. Watching your old teammate dominate while you struggle, that’s gotta sting a little.
A Glimmer of Hope for Sproat?
This was a disappointing outing for Sproat, who’s fighting to hold his spot in the Brewers rotation after coming over in that Freddy Peralta trade. He got off to a brutal start this season, rocking a 6.24 ERA after May. But here’s the thing: despite this loss, his ERA actually dropped to 5.09. And get this: he’s now allowed two runs or fewer in five straight starts. That’s a serious trend, even with this hiccup. So while Tuesday was rough, Sproat’s first full season in the bigs still has some promising signs. He made just four starts with the Mets last season, with a 4.79 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He’s gotta get that pitch count down, but that five-start streak of limiting runs? That’s something to build on as he keeps battling for that rotation spot.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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