NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS VS DODGERS

October 13, 2024

Carlos Mendoza

Dodger Stadium

New York Mets

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Dodgers - 9, Mets - 0

Q. What was the issue as you saw it with Senga today?

CARLOS MENDOZA: He was off. He didn't have it. He didn't have the life on his fastball and a lot of balls out of hand, non-competitive pitches, especially the split. You could tell that the way that they were taking those pitches they were balls out of the hand. Definitely off today.

Q. What is the comfort level, I know it's in the future here, but what is the comfort level given what you saw today going back to him for Game 5?

CARLOS MENDOZA: We've got to wait and see how he responds the next couple of days, the same way that we've been treating it every time he gets on the mound. Day by day, and then we'll see how we get to Game 5 or whatever the case might be. But I think it's going to come down to how he's going to bounce back.

Q. Given the lack of life and the velo being down and everything, do you need to make sure he's healthy as you hope he is?

CARLOS MENDOZA: I talked to Hef after he came out just to make sure we weren't missing anything. Physically he said he continues to feel good. There was no issues, just a little frustrated I guess because of the outing. But as far as the way he was feeling and all that, he said he was good.

Q. Given the way that first inning had gone, was there a conversation about maybe pulling him just after that one?

CARLOS MENDOZA: Yeah, I had Reed Garrett going. But these are some of the tricky decisions here, where you pull him to early -- I felt, especially after he got that pop-up with the bases loaded. He was one hitter away from getting out of that inning. Muncy got him with a single. And then he went back out there and gave up another one. So not really after he got that second out.

Q. You had the decision whether to go to Peterson or maybe Megill for more bulk there. What made you go to Peterson there?

CARLOS MENDOZA: With all the lefties that they've got, we were down three. Because all the lefties they had, I didn't think they were going to pinch-hit. And I wanted to give the offense a chance.

We get down three in the second inning, we've shown before the whole year that we're able to come back. That was the case. It didn't happen today with Petey.

Q. What was Flaherty doing that gave you guys so much trouble?

CARLOS MENDOZA: He was getting ahead with his fastball and then the slider, the breaking ball, the slow curve kept us off balance, but he was getting ahead and making pitches.

He tried to make us chase, which we did the first time through the order. Then he was just on. He was locating his pitches and he did a good job.

Q. With some of the uncertainty you discussed regarding Senga, would you consider saving Peterson for a potential Game 5 start, or do you want him back in your bullpen as soon as he's available?

CARLOS MENDOZA: Saving him --

Q. Peterson?

CARLOS MENDOZA: Today, you said, after --

Q. For a potential Game 5.

CARLOS MENDOZA: We'll see. We kept him somehow short. Hopefully he's back available for Game 3 if we need -- we've got to get to Game 3 and Game 4 and we've got to make a decision, but he's too valuable for us. But again, we'll see what kind of shape we're in bullpen-wise, and then we'll have to make decisions and see how Senga's feeling too.