New York Mets: The Zack Wheeler divorce really hurts now

Cascade effect

Any anticipated flexibility of Matz, Porcello, and Wacha stepping in for a spot start or extended innings out of the bullpen went out the door. There is more pressure for deGrom and Stroman to pitch into the seventh inning of their starts to keep the bullpen from being overworked.

Another issue for New York Mets manager Luis Rojas to consider is the inconsistency of Matz. The former Ward-Melville star at times shows flashes of top-end starter-in-the-making stuff, as he did in 2015. Other times, he will struggle to get out of the first inning. Matz has been healthier over the last two seasons, making 60 combined starts, but injuries are still a concern.

Obviously, the slack will have to be picked up at the Major League level, but the New York Mets may need some of their minor leaguers to be the next man up this year. Corey Oswalt, Paul Sewald, and Daniel Zamora are options they used in the past, who could take that next step, but we may have already seen their ceiling.

Franklyn Kilome (acquired from Phillies for Asdrúbal Cabrera) is coming off Tommy John surgery and could be in line for a promotion if his recovery is ahead of schedule. Other internal options are Thomas Szapucki and former 2017 first-round pick David Peterson. Two prospects who may be asked to step up sooner than expected.