Projecting the Mets bullpen configuration on Opening Day
And a handful of Mets starting pitchers are among the early arrivals in Port St. Lucie
What’s up with the Mets? 🍎
Juan Soto is officially joining the Dominican Republic team for the World Baseball Classic (Mets)
Freddy Peralta, Jonah Tong, and Nolan McLean are among the Mets players already working out in Port St. Lucie (SNY)
Clay Holmes is also among the early arrivals (SNY)
Rumor Mill 💨
President of Baseball Operations Jerry DiPoto hinted strongly that the Mariners have one more move up their sleeves ahead of spring training (MyNorthWest)
Cardinals President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom spoke about the persistent trade rumors that have circulated around Brendan Donovan all winter (SI)
🌴 8 days until Mets pitchers and catchers officially report to Port St. Lucie… 🌴
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Analyzing the Mets bullpen configuration ✍️
With the calendar flipping to February, much of the conversation surrounding the Mets roster can shift from who will or won’t be here to how to make the pieces that are here fit.
Today I’d like to take a deep dive into the Mets bullpen, and how roles could be divvied up and how the back part of it could take shape.
We all know the very top of the relief corps is going to look a lot different this season without all-world closer Edwin Diaz, but the reshaping of the group goes far beyond just him.
The three relievers who made the most appearances for New York a season ago were Diaz, Ryne Stanek, and Reed Garrett.
Diaz is in LA, Stanek is now in St. Louis, and Garrett will miss all of 2026 recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The Mets were active in the relief market all winter, and to say this unit underwent a full makeover is an understatement.
Before we can jump into exactly how this bullpen will shake out during spring training, there’s also one big lingering question that remains to be answered—how many pitchers will be in it.
In Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga, the Mets have six Major League starting pitchers for traditionally five spots. Now, you could make a case for a six-man rotation which the Mets have often utilized lately. Senga has always pitched better with an additional day, Holmes’ innings could still be managed this way in year two back as a starter, and McLean could conceivably be on an innings limit in his first full big league season.
However, going with a six-man rotation especially out of the gate when there are so many off days feels aggressive. And also this assumes all six of those arms make it out of spring training healthy.
David Stearns indicated recently that there are likely 1-3 bullpen spots up for grabs during spring training. So, regardless of whether the unit is going to include seven or eight arms, let’s look at the locks to be part of it.
RHP Devin Williams - Williams was the first relief domino to fall this offseason. When the Mets inked him to a three-year pact in December, at the time the expectation was Diaz would still be back and that he was here to pitch the 8th inning. Obviously, things have changed. After a dominant six-year stretch in Milwaukee, both setting up for Josh Hader and then as the closer, Williams struggled during his only season in the Bronx. He has the resume, but still has to prove he has the moxie to be a frontline closer in New York City.
RHP Luke Weaver - Weaver was an interesting addition to the Mets bullpen, but one that adds a lot of potential upside and insurance. Once a hotshot prospect in the Cardinals system, Weaver ultimately failed as a starter before experiencing a career resurgence as a member of the Yankees bullpen in 2024. Last season, he was not nearly as good as the year prior, but he still delivered a 3.62 ERA in 64 appearances, registered 21 holds, and even converted eight saves when he leapfrogged…guess who…Williams on the Yankees depth chart and was closing games for a stretch last summer.
LHP Brooks Raley - Raley missed the first half of the 2025 season after his own Tommy John surgery, but was fantastic after returning in mid-July. In 30 outings, he posted a stellar 2.45 ERA with an 0.78 WHIP. Opponents managed just a .154 batting average against him, and while the Mets were careful with how they used him last summer, that shouldn’t be the case again following a full, healthy offseason and spring training.
RHP Luis García - About two weeks ago, the Mets added veteran righty Luis García in what I think was a pretty underrated transaction. Does García jump off the page as a dominant household name in late-inning relief? Not really. But he’s been a durable and dependable middle reliever in this league for more than a decade. In over 600 career outings, he owns a lifetime ERA a shade over four, with 119 holds and 17 saves on his ledger.
RHP Tobias Myers - Myers came with Freddy Peralta in the blockbuster trade the Mets executed with the Brewers, and he’s a name that Mets fans should have been very familiar with. It was Myers that dominated New York in Game Three of the 2024 Wild Card Series, a performance that would have been the story of the game if not for Pete Alonso’s 9th-inning heroics. He was just a rookie last season and was fantastic in Milwaukee’s rotation, before splitting time between the starting five and the bullpen a year ago. On this Mets team, he profiles as a potential multi-inning weapon in the middle of games—think an upgrade over what José Butto was this time last year.
So here’s where the potential bullpen spots up for grabs come in. And while there are several names in the mix for these last few spots, I would be stunned if at least at the outset of the season one doesn’t go to RHP Craig Kimbrel. The Mets brought in the former elite-level closer on a low-risk minor league deal just last week. He’s clearly closer to the end and not the dynamic force he once was, but it’s hard to argue with the resume. Kimbrel owns 440 Major League saves—good for 5th all time—and while he only pitched in 14 games a season ago, he put up a 2.25 ERA and struck out 17 hitters in 12 innings. If he’s healthy, to me, Kimbrel has to be on the roster while the Mets try to figure out what he has left.
Now to the real competition, and this will be interesting to watch during spring training, particularly if the bullpen is only going to begin the season with seven participants. I do think, though, that provided he has a good February and March, it will be difficult to leave this guy in Triple-A.
RHP Huascar Brazoban - He was by all intents and purposes a pretty good Met a season ago, at times. He was the most versatile member of the relief corps and filled virtually every role at one point. Brazoban registered 12 holds and converted a pair of saves while working as a late-inning reliever. He also went at least two innings on nine different occasions and was too often the man getting called upon when a starter got knocked out early. He also started three games as an opener. His final line of a 3.57 ERA with a 1.24 WHIP in 63 innings will certainly play. But, much like the rest of the pitching staff, it was a tale of two seasons for Brazoban, who once again found himself in the minor leagues as last season went on. He’s a confidence guy, and that apparently can get easily shaken. But, his stuff is certainly undeniably good if his head is screwed on straight.
RHP Adbert Alzolay - If the Mets choose or are necessitated by injury to use a five-man rotation with an eight-man bullpen, Alzolay - who the Mets signed to a two-year contract a year ago - would have a pretty good chance to make the team in that scenario. Not long ago, Alzolay was a rising star in the Cubs’ organization, and as recently as 2023, was one of the best relief pitchers in the National League. That season, he delivered a 2.67 ERA with a 1.02 WHIP across 64 frames, while converting 22 saves. Alzolay went down during the summer of 2024 and missed the remainder of that season as well as all of 2025 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He has a chance to be a real wild card on the Mets pitching staff, and if he’s healthy, I’d expect the Mets to give him a chance to carve out a prominent role.
We can’t of course forget LHP AJ Minter, but it wouldn’t seem certain he will be ready by Opening Day after undergoing lat surgery early last season. His ramp up is delayed right now, which could mean he might start the season on the injured list. If he’s able to make it out of camp, he would undoubtedly join Raley as the second left-handed reliever in this bullpen, and in turn shake all of this up entirely.
Other pitchers that will be in the mix during the spring training competition are righties Austin Warren, Alex Carillo, Carl Edwards Jr. and Dylan Ross. Young lefty Nate Lavender would probably be the next guy up if Raley were to go down or the team just wanted a 2nd southpaw.
Obviously, over the course of a long season, there will be a plethora of roster moves, and the bullpen is generally a place where a lot of transactions occur. But at least on paper, this is what the Mets will likely begin the season with, and the group as a whole does appear to have a chance to be a strength.
Around the League 🚩
MLB will take over the broadcast rights for the Brewers, Rays, Marlins, Cardinals, Reds, and Royals in 2026 (Puck)
Longtime MLB outfielder Avasail Garcia took to social media to announce his retirement (Instagram)
The Mariners landed super utilityman Brendan Donovan in a three team trade with the Cardinals and Rays (Athletic)
Cleveland is bringing back LHP Kolby Allard on a minor league pact (Official)
I hope AJ Minter returns healthy. I don't care (much) if he starts the season on the IL. Just as long as he's fully ready by about mid-May.
Stearns screw up in allowing/miscalculating Diaz departure should be unforgivable.