Southeast alums Lucchesi, Dodd fighting through midseason NL East minors stints

It’s time for a quick update on the Southeast Missouri State alumni in the Major Leagues, with a pair of pitchers still fighting for roster spots in the National League East.

The seventh and eighth players respectively to enter the MLB out of SEMO, Joey Lucchesi and Dylan Dodd are both in active battles to get back to the majors in a tight NL East.

Lucchesi, a veteran in a talented New York Mets organization, went a perfect 4-0 last season for the Mets in the majors, with a 2.89 ERA to boot.

But he hasn’t seen much play in the bigs this season, spending most of his time in AAA Syracuse after getting shelled in one MLB outing this season.

In that game, a May 15 start vs. juggernaut Philadelphia, Lucchesi surrendered five earned runs in 4.1 innings, failing to make an impression good enough to stay at the top level.

In his time with Syracuse, however, it’s been a successful stint as he’s 4-2 so far with a 3.86 ERA over more than 60 innings as a starter.

Currently, the Mets sit at 28-36, good for fourth in the loaded East division behind the Phillies, Braves and Nationals in that order.

The big league ballclub’s struggles reflect poorly of their pitching, with No. 2 Jose Quintana (5.29) and No. 4 Adrian Houser (6.29) both sporting ERAs north of five.

The 31-year-old Lucchesi, who hasn’t spent a full season in the majors since 2021, has gotten the full organizational experience in New York, and his time in Syracuse has been extensive.

With the continued success in Syracuse, with a strong ERA through 11 starts so far, we could certainly see Lucchesi back in the bigs before the season’s end.

New York Mets' Joey Lucchesi plays during a baseball game, Wednesday, May 15, 2024, in Philadelphia.AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Meanwhile, down south in division-rival Atlanta, the Braves have had plenty of success both in the past and the present as the organization touts a stellar pitching rotation.

Despite a couple of injuries that have derailed the Braves’ order, particularly one to Spencer Strider earlier this year, they’ve maintained a strong order.

Atlanta sits firmly in second in the division behind a juggernaut Phillies squad that’s mowed through competition this season, jumping out to a ridiculous 45-20 start.

Dylan Dodd has the misfortune, perhaps, of playing behind all of these electrifying pitchers, still looking for his big break in the league, but it’s also a learning opportunity.

Without an appearance in the bigs in 2024, Dodd has spent the season down at AAA Gwinnett as he’s looking to figure out some of the kinks before making his return to the MLB.

Finishing 2-2 in seven starts in the 2023 season, getting some early play with the Braves, Dodd got a lot of action but had just a 7.60 ERA to support it as the Braves exited early in the playoffs.

Fighting to make his big return, Dodd sports a 5.01 ERA through 10 starts with Gwinnett this season. Certainly better than his Atlanta average, but still needing some work as well.

Despite a dismal 2-6 record, with Gwinnett’s 29-34 record not getting him very far, he’s playing in an organization known for developing elite pitching still at a ripe 25 years old as of June 6.

As the divisional race heats up, with the Braves sitting pretty in the top National League Wild Card spot, Dodd could potentially get a call-up as the late-season roster moves approach.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Dylan Dodd (46) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Sunday, April 9, 2023, in Atlanta.AP Photo/John Bazemore