Four options for the Mets to consider for their bullpen crisis
The bullpen let another opportunity to win slip away late in Sunday's game as the Mets dropped a series to the Astros
What’s Up with the Mets? ⚾️
The Mets dropped a disappointing rubber game 10-5 to the Astros on Sunday in 11 innings (box)
OF Brandon Nimmo went 3-for-4 with a game tying two-run homer in the 7th and a game-tying double in the 10th
The Mets finally length from a starter as RHP Luis Severino was able to fight through seven innings, allowing four runs on eight hits
RHPs Adrian Houser and Adam Ottavino combined to go three innings without allowing an earned run in relief
3B Mark Vientos drove in two more runs in the loss
New York rallied to tie the score in the 8th inning before the game went into a nearly three-hour rain delay
With the game tied in the 11th and bullpen arms running low, the Mets turned to newly promoted RHP Matt Festa — a move that blew up when he allowed five Astros runs to score
The Mets finish the month of June with a 16-8 record (2nd best in MLB), plus-43 run differential, .290 team batting average, .865 OPS, and 41 total home runs
Roster Moves 🗞️
LHP Tyler Jay had his contract selected from Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Matt Festa had his contract selected from Triple-A Syracuse
RHP Tylor Megill optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
LHP Danny Young optioned to Triple-A Syracuse
LHP Brooks Raley (Left elbow surgery) transferred to 60-day injured list
OF Duke Ellis was designated for assignment
C Andriel Lantigua traded to Colorado Rockies in exchange for cash
Down on the Farm 🌾
SS Luisangel Acuna (No. 5 Prospect, Triple-A): 1-for-4, RBI
RHP Blade Tidwell (No. 10 Prospect, Triple-A): 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 2 H, 5 BB, 7 K, 1 HR
OF Nick Morabito (No. 26 Prospect, High-A): 4-for-5, 2 RBI, 2 R
BOX SCORES
Single-A STL | High-A BRK | Double-A BNG | Triple-A SYR
Today’s Game 🗓
Match-up: Mets (40-41) at Nationals (39-44)
Where: Nationals Park — Washington, DC
Starters: LHP David Peterson (3-0, 3.67 ERA) vs. LHP Mackenzie Gore (6-7, 3.60 ERA)
When: 6:45 PM EDT
Where to Watch: SNY
The Mets officially have a (very bad) bullpen crisis… ✍️
Early in the season when the Mets were playing well, it was their bullpen that was far and away carrying the load for the pitching staff. New York’s starters were struggling with consistency and length—a problem that has not gone away—and the relief corps was tasked with keeping the team and staff afloat.
Unfortunately, a few months later, the Mets’ bullpen is taking on water. Fast.
More than two months ago, after seven scoreless innings to begin his season, left hander Brooks Raley went down with an elbow injury that became worst case scenario when it was revealed he needed Tommy John Surgery. We knew losing one of the Mets most important arms was obviously problematic, but it was hard to anticipate just how dire the situation would eventually become.
Fast forward to the end of June, a month where the Mets offense essentially dominated and almost single handedly pulled the team back into contention. The starting pitching has been better, but the underlying theme of the rotation has been lack of length and quality innings, which has caused a plethora of problems for the staff as a whole. This bullpen has been tremendously overworked, and it’s reflected by the number of arms that are now on the injured list.
Sean Reid-Foley had just started establishing himself as a go-to option in the middle of games when he went down with a shoulder impingement a couple weeks ago. Drew Smith crushingly was diagnosed with UCL damage to his throwing elbow that will require a second Tommy John Surgery last week.
Then there’s Edwin Díaz, whose missed time on the injured list himself, struggled with consistency, and is currently suspended for a sticky stuff violation that has left the club an arm short on the active roster.
New York is now being forced to depend on guys like Reed Garrett and Jake Diekman as upper tier relievers—roles they are dramatically miscast in and are also grossly overworked—but the fallout effect is even more dramatic.
Aside from Adam Ottavino—who has also not been as trustworthy as the Mets had hoped—the names New York has been trotting out when the bullpen gate opens have been less than inspiring lately.
Ty Adcock, Danny Young, Matt Festa and Tyler Jay are not pitchers that were supposed to be pitching important innings for this team.
Dedniel Núñez and Adrian Houser have both been bright spots, but just this week both have served as multi-inning relievers that then require multiple days off.
Too often, manager Carlos Mendoza is going into games knowing he only has a couple of relief pitchers available and has very little confidence in almost all of them—something that is beyond problematic when the starters are only going five innings at best.
If the Mets are going to maintain their ferocious push and continue competing for a playoff spot as the summer drags on, reinforcements are obviously going to be needed.
But where can David Stearns turn?
As we sit here at the beginning of July, very few teams are (unofficially) out of contention and assured to be sellers at the trade deadline.
But almost all of the teams that are do have arms of various levels of attractiveness.
Let’s take a look at some options.
LHP Tanner Scott, Miami Marlins
The Mets are obviously tremendously familiar with the hard-throwing Scott, whom they’ve seen often the last few years. Here in 2024, though, the 29-year-old is enjoying his best season. In his first 35 outings, he’s delivered a 1.50 ERA while striking out more than a batter/inning and converting 12 saves for a bad Marlins team. With the Mets he would immediately slot in as the 8th inning man and give the team a dynamic arm to pair with Edwin Diaz at the end of games. This will become a bidding war, however, as nearly every contender will have interest.
RHP Kyle Finnegan, Washington Nationals
Finnegan is another longtime division foe whom the Mets know a great deal about. And like Scott, he’s enjoying his best season. He’s taken the mound 34 times for the Nationals thus far, and pitched to a fantastic 2.16 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP. He’s punched out 37 hitters in 33.1 innings, has allowed just a .183 batting average against, and has converted 22 of his 25 save opportunities. As is the case with Scott, multiple teams will be interested.
RHP Carlos Estevez, Los Angeles Angels
The Angels have played better lately but they’re still buried in the American League West and will almost certainly be shopping their closer. The 31-year-old Estevez has been really good in 2024, pitching to a 3.00 ERA with an 0.81 WHIP in 27 appearances. He’s struck out exactly a hitter/inning, nailed down 16 saves, and is allowing a sub .200 batting average against.
RHP Trevor Richards, Toronto Blue Jays
Richards jumps out to me as a perfect fit for the Mets bullpen. Stearns has made it clear he values relievers that can give the team multiple innings. Here in ‘24, the veteran righty has appeared in 34 games for Toronto and tossed 42 frames, while pitching to a 2.57 ERA with an 0.86 WHIP. Opponents have managed to hit a measly .139 against him, and while he is not necessarily a strikeout pitcher or a late inning reliever, he would slot in nicely in the middle of the relief corps.
Internally, the Mets have exhausted really all of their options at the Triple-A level and aside from Nunez, none of them have proven to have any staying power. But there are two other organizational arms I’m interested in.
Japanese righty Shintaro Fujinami was brought in this winter for the immense potential he clearly possesses as a late inning power arm. Control was his problem during his first season in Major League Baseball, but his 83 strikeouts in 79 innings sure grab your attention. Fujinami did not pitch well in the minors early this season, and then went down with a shoulder injury. He recently started a rehab assignment, and if he can pitch well in the minor leagues the next few weeks he will undoubtedly be under consideration for a promotion.
Then there’s another hard-throwing righty, Bryce Montes De Oca, who has been an unbelievable strikeout pitcher for his entire professional career, blowing away 134 hitters in 90.1 innings. He was excellent in 2022 and eventually earned a tiny cup of coffee at the big-league level, but his career was then put on hold when he required Tommy John Surgery that robbed him of all of 2023. He’s come back this year to uneven results, and while he’ll need to find more consistency and stability in Binghamton, I wouldn’t count him out as a potential option later this summer.
What’s clear to everyone involved with the Mets in any capacity is that this team needs relief help. We know it, the players know it, and the front office knows it. But the price to add bullpen help a month before the deadline is exorbitant, so at least for now, the answers will have to come from within. But if the Mets stay in the race, get ready to hear those names listed above—and I’m sure others—an awful lot in July.
Around the League 🚩
Aaron Judge clubbed his league leading 31st home run in the Yankees 8-1 thrashing of the Blue Jays
Rafael Devers and Jarren Duran both homered in the Red Sox 4-1 win over the the Padres
Taj Bradley went 5.2 scoreless innings and struck out 11 Nationals as the Rays blanked Washington, 5-0
Lance Lynn recorded his 1,000th strikeout in a Cardinals uniform in St. Louis 2-0 home victory over Cincinnati
The starters need to consistently give more length or it won’t matter who’s in the BP. Another concern I have is why don’t any pitchers we draft ever turn into good relievers? The guys we call up are usually waiver claim guys who we know aren’t good.
Quite simply, unless they consistently get more length from their starting staff, it really doesn't matter how Stearns manipulates the roster. The bullpen is shot from overwork. Being relied upon for 4+ innings on an almost daily basis is unsustainable.
Part of the blame falls on pitching coach, Jeremy Hefner, who preaches strikeouts over pitching to contact, which helps drive up their pitch count and contributes to them leading MLB in walks.