PORT ST. LUCIE — Oliver Perez’s outing today alarmed his manager, not because he gave up six runs but because he walked six in 3 2/3 innings of the Mets’ 10-6 loss to the Detroit Tigers.
Jerry Manuel said he will watch Perez, who gave up five hits, carefully in his next couple of outings.
“I think when you don’t have command and you don’t have that extra velocity, you’re going to struggle and that’s what happened today,” Manuel said. “(Perez) had neither. We have some things to work out.”
Perez’s outing comes a day after Mike Pelfrey gave up six earned runs and 10 hits, and fellow starter John Maine has struggled, too. He has a 10.38 ERA this spring coming off September surgery to shave a bone spur in his right shoulder.
“Pelfrey I think is OK,” Manuel said. “He sinks the ball real well, so he’s always one pitch away. Maine, it’s a big day for him (Thursday) for his confidence.”
Left-handed reliever Ron Villone also struggled Wednesday allowing four hits and four runs in one inning. Three of the four hits were by left-handed batters.
There were bright spots for Manuel’s staff, though.
Bobby Parnell tossed another scoreless inning, lowering his spring ERA to 2.61 and Brian Stokes worked two perfect innings with two strikeouts.
Carlos Beltran went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in his return to the Mets’ lineup. Carlos Delgado went 0-for-2.