On Thursday, Carson Benge will run out to right field at a sold-out Citi Field and play what will be the biggest game of his life. He will debut at 23 after just one full minor league season and immediately face the expectations of a phenom.
He must perform quickly — how long a rope can the Mets afford him if he struggles for a club that needs to have a strong season, or else many will lose jobs? — and his first opponent will be Paul Skenes, arguably the best pitcher in the world.
If Benge sits down to reflect upon his circumstance, there are reasons to feel some combination of alarm, fear and nerves.
He is not the type to sit and reflect. He is not the type to feel nerves.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
