ATLANTA — The daily challenge of deciding how and when to utilize the Mets bullpen grips Mickey Callaway harder by the day.
It was one thing earlier in the season when so many of his relievers had set roles, but the seventh, eighth and ninth innings on any given night can belong to almost anybody.
On Thursday, Callaway was still faced with questions based on his decisions from the previous night, when Seth Lugo replaced Steven Matz — who had retired 14 straight batters and thrown only 79 pitches — and allowed five runs in the seventh inning after the Mets had taken a 2-1 lead.