ESPN asserts this 'must change' for Mets to get back on track

Despite their success, the New York Mets are coming up short in this one area.

Apr 22, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Ryne Stanek (55) reacts to a double play in the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

It wasn't that long ago when the New York Mets had the best record in all of baseball. And while they're still off to a great start to the 2025 season and in first place in the NL East, they're 4-6 in their last 10 games and have lost two consecutive series.

What's more, it feels like the Mets are getting bad news regarding injuries every day. On May 5, it came out that Jesse Winker would require an IL stint and that A.J. Minter will need season-ending surgery for a torn lat.

A.J. Minter will have season ending surgery next Monday, for a torn lat.

— Mike Puma (@NYPost_Mets) May 5, 2025

While both of these are brutal blows, the Mets' bullpen can't afford to keep losing quality arms like Minter. This is what ESPN writer Bradford Doolittle alluded to in a May 5 article that was titled 'One thing that must change for all 30 MLB teams'.

"What must change: Middle relief instability," Doolittle wrote.

"There hasn't been much to complain about with the Mets. Though New York hasn't overtaken the Dodgers in the simulations from a going-forward perspective, the Mets have probably been the better team to this point. The Dodgers have the better winning percentage, but the Mets' Pythagorean pace (109.7) is the National League's best.

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"With not much to nitpick about, the relief contingent in front of Edwin Diaz needs to coalesce a little more," he continued. "Ryne Stanek has the pen's second-highest average leverage index but has struggled, and the two top lefties (A.J. Minter and Danny Young) have already been lost to injury. Still, if this is a team's biggest worry at the beginning of May, it's in a good place."

From health to depth to the entire offense: One thing that must change for all 30 MLB teams https://t.co/M1UeKMm1nx pic.twitter.com/e7xAnVpWHO

— ESPN Chicago (@ESPN1000) May 5, 2025

The Mets' starting rotation is bound to come back to earth at some point. And when they do, New York will need their bullpen to step up, regardless of the injuries the team is dealing with.