A look at the new Mets bullpen...
Their best bullpen acquisition though was already in the organization. Also, the Mets hit the road for a long road trip beginning in Anaheim
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets were off on Thursday, and are in Anaheim tonight to open a three-game series with the Angels
Paul Blackburn - who was acquired from Oakland this week - is meeting the Mets in Anaheim and will start tonight against the Angels
The Mets best prospects were off the table at the trade deadline (New York Post)
Playoff Race 🏁
The Mets remain on the outside looking in by 1/2 game in the NL Wild Card race. The Braves won and the Cardinals lost, while everyone else was off on Thursday.
The Mets have 54 games remaining.
Per FanGraphs, the Mets have a 46.9% chance of making the postseason.
New York has the 5th easiest schedule in MLB the rest of the way.
Tiebreakers:
vs. ATL: 5-5
vs. ARI: 2-2
vs. STL: 3-2
vs. SD: 3-0
vs. CIN: 2-1
vs. SF: 2-4 (finished)
vs. PIT: 5-2 (finished)
vs. CHC: 4-3 (finished)
Injury Updates 🏥
OF Starling Marte (bone bruise in knee) is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton this weekend
RHP Sean Reid-Foley (shoulder impingement) could return from the injured list as soon as this weekend
Down on the Farm 🌾
INF Luke Ritter (Triple-A): 2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI
INF Mateo Gil (High-A): 1-for-5, HR, 2 RBI
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (57-51) vs. Angels (47-62)
Where: Angel Stadium - Anaheim, CA
Starters: RHP Paul Blackburn (4-2, 4.41 ERA) vs. LHP Tyler Anderson (8-9, 2.96 ERA)
When: 9:38 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
The Mets have a new bullpen, with help on the way! ✍️
We’ve spent a good portion of the last week or so discussing the Mets needs in the outfield as well as in their starting rotation.
It was for good reason, primarily because the Mets had procured two relievers well before the deadline (Ryne Stanek), one weeks before the deadline (Phil Maton). Maton specifically signaled the Mets full understanding they probably couldn’t get to the trade deadline without making some kind of move, and Maton was the first of several steps the Mets took by Tuesday’s deadline to address that dire need.
Part of the problem with the Mets bullpen of course was in fact their starting rotation and their complete inability to provide any sort of consistent length outside of Luis Severino, who has averaged just under six innings per start, a number the Mets really need to start getting through and through from their starting pitchers.
There was hope Kodai Senga would offer such length, but alas, his season will be comprised of just a single start, during which he at least pitched into the sixth inning.
Anyway, when we look back on this bullpen to opening day and see where it is today, it’s been a rollercoaster of both moves and strategy, to say the least.
Here’s what it looked like on day 1:
Edwin Díaz
Jake Diekman
Jorge Lopez
Adam Ottavino
Brooks Raley
Yohan Ramirez
Drew Smith
Michael Tonkin
Of this group, only Díaz and Ottavino remain. The rest are either out for the year with injury, or out of the organization entirely.
Here’s the Mets bullpen today:
Edwin Díaz
Huascar Brazoban
José Buttó
Phil Maton
Tylor Megill
Adam Ottavino
Ryne Stanek
Alex Young
Danny Young
Note: Reed Garrett was not on the opening day roster - he was recalled from Triple-A on April 1. It’s also worth mentioning the Mets have been a revolving door of relievers coming in and out of service for the Mets including Phil Bickford, Cole Sulser, Grant Hartwig, Tyler Jay, Josh Walker, Eric Orze, and Matt Gage.
And of course Dedniel Núñez seemingly came out of nowhere to become one of the most reliable relievers the Mets have, although he is now on the injured list.
So, a lot has changed with what was easily the Mets weakest link heading into the regular season. But for what it’s worth, what was the weakest link might actually now be one of their great strengths.
Also - help is on the way in the form of Núñez, Garrett and Sean Reid-Foley, three pitchers who have been strengths in their revolving door of a bullpen.
With Stanek and Maton specifically, they both come with extensive and successful playoff experience as well, that which I am sure factored into the Mets decision to bring both of them in. Of course, they have to get there first, and Stanek’s injection into this bullpen hasn’t exactly been smooth this week, but something tells me he’ll be fine and Maton has already shown his mid-season adjustments while with the Rays have transitioned well to the Mets.
Maton has a 2.57 ERA in eight appearances since joining the Mets and has held right-handed hitters to a .077 opposing batting average.
One of the most underrated moves the Mets made this week could be the one which brought Brazoban into the fold. He’s a 34-year-old late bloomer who the Mets have control over for the next five years if they retain him. Obviously, we aren’t thinking that far down the line with Brazoban - he’s here to help stabilize their bullpen right now with a mid-to-upper 90s fastball and sinker and an elite change-up. He’s striking out batters to the tune of 10.2 per nine innings, and could ultimately prove to be that swing-and-miss arm the Mets have sorely lacked in that bullpen to setup Díaz.
He made his debut against the Twins on Wednesday and was probably the highlight in an otherwise dismal afternoon for the Mets.
But the best move the Mets have made for this bullpen is injecting Jose Buttó into this multi-inning relief role.
We often get tantalized by the big arms available on the market and shortening games by filling holes in the seventh and eighth innings ahead of the established closer. That’s all well and good, but so often elite bullpens are defined by guys like Buttó who can come in with a presence for 2-3 innings and either stop the bleeding or bridge the gap to the closer while keeping the rest of the bullpen rested.
Such is the case with Buttó who has done all of that for the Mets since taking this role and running with it. He has a 1.08 ERA in eight relief appearances this season, a span of 16.2 IP. Strike throwing had always been Butto’s problem which has prevented him from fulfilling this promise, but now that he’s throwing strikes with all of his pitches, he has become not only a stabilizing force for the Mets, but a transformational one for this entire pitching staff.
Around the League 🚩
Bobby Witt Jr - who hit .489 in July - became a 20-20 player in the Royals 7-1 win over the Tigers
Mike Trout tore the meniscus in his knee for the second time this season, and he is now out for the year
The Cubs scored three in the ninth inning to spoil the Cardinals in a 5-4 win at Wrigley
The Braves hit three home runs to guide them to a 4-2 win over the Marlins
Great analysus on the bullpen.