NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS VS DODGERS

October 14, 2024

Phil Maton

Reed Garrett

Dodger Stadium

New York Mets

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. Reed, I think this is the most innings you've thrown in a year since you were starting. How do you feel this time of year, and how have you learned to stay fresh as the year's gone on?

REED GARRETT: Yeah, I feel great right now. I think it's kind of one of those things where I've had to learn as we go, try to limit how much I throw before the game and make sure that I'm staying on top of that and doing stuff to recover. But I feel like I've been able to do that and our training staff has helped me along the way. I feel great right now.

Q. Reed, how have you evolved as the season's gone on? Obviously you had the really strong start and kind of faded towards the middle, dealt with some injuries, and now you seem to be pitching at your highest level?

REED GARRETT: I think it's one of those things where I've just been trying to throw the ball in the box as much as possible, challenge hitters, do everything I can to get ahead and stay ahead. I think that's been the biggest part of it so far.

Q. Phil, you've done this a lot in the postseason. How have you learned how to maintain your body for the sixth and the seventh month of the season as a reliever?

PHIL MATON: Piggybacking off of Reed it's learn as you go. I think my first year was a COVID year. It made a lot easier from a workload standpoint.

But then going to Houston and with Spring Training and then 60-some appearances a year, another 10 in the postseason, kind of had the luxury of adrenaline in this time of year. That helps out a lot.

But the recovery process is a little tougher this time of year. So leaning on some anti-inflammatories and a little extra work in the training room is what you have to do.

Q. You've seen games this postseason from the bullpen from the other side. As relievers do you like partaking in bullpen games?

REED GARRETT: It's kind of a tough question. Obviously we like to be out there and pitch. I think right now, whenever the phone rings and your name's called, I think that's just as soon as they say that you're getting ready to go in the game, that's when it's time to turn it on, whether that's in a bullpen game in the first inning, sure; or if it's in the ninth inning, it's still trying to figure out how to focus to get the mission done and go out there and compete. That's just my take on it.

PHIL MATON: Not a huge fan in the regular season, but in the postseason, kind of the same thing I said earlier, the adrenaline kind of kicks in. It can be tiring doing that for nine innings, not knowing when you're going to throw.

But you're just able to strap it on in these games. And they're so important, you just kind of find a way to get it done.

Q. In a bullpen game, do you generally know, like, when you're going to come into a game? Or are you just waiting for the phone to ring?

PHIL MATON: It's sometimes you know, sometimes you don't. Sometimes they tell you and they do something different anyways. You kind of take every bit of information with a grain of salt.

And ultimately, if you're going to roll out and do that, you've got to be ready from the first inning, especially in situations where we're down a game now, we need to apply some pressure and find a way to get back. Leashes are going to be a little shorter in these games now. Just kind of gotta be ready from the get-go.

Q. Reed, yesterday you threw more than one inning although your pitch count was down. Are you available today out of the bullpen? And, secondly, your pitch selection throughout the season has evolved a bit. You've gone more to the sweeper this year -- I'm sorry, toward the end here. How did that come about? And what kind of work have you done to get to that point?

REED GARRETT: Yeah, I am available today. I think right now it's all hands on deck at all times. So I feel great, like I said earlier.

But pitch-usage stuff, it's kind of, I'm fortunate where I have more than two. And I feel like I have the ability to kind of change depending on situations or what feels good that day.

I think it's more just kind of depending on what I'm seeing in at-bats and what I feel that day. I think that's really the biggest thing, the confidence in those pitches and still using everything. But if you see something where one pitch feels better than the other, then maybe that day it is that pitch.

I think it's just depending on where I'm at and the hitters and stuff like that. I think that's just kind of the things we go about and do our research on and use it.

Q. Phil, for you, you really emptied the tank there in Milwaukee. What is the challenge of kind of working consecutive days, heavy workload? And then what can you kind of teach maybe some of the more inexperienced playoff arms about what that journey is like kind of through the postseason?

PHIL MATON: I can't speak for everybody on how they feel with workload, but for me it's just pitch execution just tends to go drastically down. It's a little harder to get the ball in the box. It's a little harder to get the edges.

With the deep pitch mix and not throwing hard, I really rely on being able to get to the edges a lot and being able to mix my pitches. Some days on back to backs, three in a row, sweeper is not there, 4-seam is just not in the box, situations like that really just gotta find a way to compete, find what's working for you and attack hitters and challenge them.

Especially this time of year and facing a really disciplined Dodgers team, you've got to beat them in the box. These guys don't chase very much. They have really good swing decisions. A lot of it is finding a way to get in the box and challenge guys whenever you don't have your best stuff.

Q. This is a match-up that the Japanese are paying attention because of Senga, Ohtani, Yamamoto. How does it feel to pitch in a game that many Japanese people watch?

REED GARRETT: Yeah, so actually I had a couple of teammates from Japan text me or send me messages yesterday. It's cool. Obviously I was lucky enough to have the experience to go over there and play. I enjoyed it.

And to be a part -- like, to see that culture and see how every day when we walked in the clubhouse in Japan and Shohei Ohtani's at-bat is on TV, to know that that whole country is invested and involved in the series, it's kind of personal for me.

I'm glad to be able to say that I was a part of that as well.

Q. You bounced around a lot and spent all of this year with the Mets. Do you feel like you've kind of found a home with the Mets here?

REED GARRETT: I kind of felt that way last year when I got over here. I am incredibly thankful for everybody in this organization. And I feel like this is a great spot and we have a great group of people and staff and players. And I feel like this is a very close-knit family, if you will.