Exploring Potential Relief Pitcher Options to Help Stabilize Mets' Bullpen
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WASHINGTON -- With setup man Trevor May sidelined for 8-12 weeks with a stress reaction in his right humerus, the Mets are down a high-leverage pitcher in their bullpen for at least the next few months.
Luckily, Drew Smith, who hasn't allowed a run in 13 1/3 innings pitched this season (longest streak in MLB), has essentially filled May's late-inning role. Smith, alongside his mentor Seth Lugo, will continue to serve as the primary bridge arms to closer Edwin Diaz in the ninth, while Joely Rodriguez, Chasen Shreve and Adam Ottavino will hold key roles in this unit as well.
However, although the Mets' 'pen has been better as of late (lowered ERA to 3.24, eighth-best in MLB), this group has been shaky at times. And with May on the shelf for a significant period of time, they could potentially explore additional options in order to help stabilize this unit with another middle relief arm.
Here are a few names the Mets could look to insert into the big-league bullpen to bolster their depth:
Internal
The Mets re-signed veteran righty Tommy Hunter to a minor league deal on April 26, who could find his way to the major leagues by June if he is healthy. But the 35-year-old underwent back surgery last season, and is in the process of building up his arm to be ready to pitch in live game action. Hunter touched 95 mph several times when he threw in front of scouts last month. Last season, he threw eight scoreless innings for the Mets. His ability to serve as a long reliever would be a valuable asset for manager Buck Showalter. The Mets would have to clear a spot on the 40-man roster to make room for Hunter if they choose to call him up when he is ready.
On Triple-A Syracuse's roster: hard-throwing righty Colin Holderman may get his shot in the major leagues soon enough. Holderman turned heads during spring training, striking out 14 batters across 6.2 innings. The 26-year-old, whose arsenal features a 99 mph fastball and mid-90's sinker, has thrown 10.1 innings in Triple-A with a 2.61 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and two saves this season. Like Hunter, the Mets would have to clear a spot on the 40-man for Holderman. The righty has devastating stuff, which makes him look like a potential future piece in the Mets' bullpen, regardless of whether he gets a shot this season or not.
Although the Mets recently optioned Adonis Medina to Triple-A, the former top ranked prospect has hurled 3 2/3 shutout innings at the big-league level this season. The righty also tossed 2 2/3s scoreless innings in his latest appearance, which kept the Mets within a six-run deficit of the Phillies, eventually leading to a wild ninth inning comeback win on Thursday. This performance was an underrated aspect in the Mets' historic come from behind victory, and it did not go unnoticed by Showalter. Medina currently holds a spot on the Mets' 40-man roster and could find himself back in the majors in the near future.
Righty Stephen Nogosek was added to the Mets' 40-man roster on Sunday and replaced Medina on the 26-man active roster. Nogosek delivered three hitless innings in long relief in the Mets' 8-3 loss on Wednesday. The 27-year-old had a rough campaign in Triple-A Syracuse in 2021 after a year layoff due to the pandemic, but he has posted an impressive 1.69 ERA across 10.2 innings (seven appearances) at the same level this season. He has a chance to stick around in the major leagues if he continues to build off his performance in his season debut.
The Mets claimed lefty reliever Locke St. John off of waivers from the Chicago Cubs, which saw ace Jacob deGrom get moved to the 60-day I.L. to clear space on 40-man roster. This means the southpaw could receive a call-up in the near future without any roster maneuvering. St. John gave up three runs on two home runs in his lone appearance with the Cubs this season, and four runs in seven innings in Triple-A. But the 29-year-old posted a 2.58 ERA and 75 strikeouts across 59. 1 innings with the Detroit Tigers' Triple-A affiliate last year. He holds a career 3.47 ERA and 8.7 K/9 across eight minor league seasons.
External
It would be difficult for the Mets to acquire external help in their bullpen at this point in time. Swinging a trade this far in advance of the August 2 deadline is not an easy task because teams will increase the asking price for their available players.
However, one name that comes to mind is hard-throwing rookie Felix Bautista, who's currently on Showalter's former team in the rebuilding Baltimore Orioles. The 26-year-old from the Dominican Republic finally made his big-league debut this season after cracking the Orioles' Opening Day roster, and has posted a 2.13 ERA and 16 strikeouts across 12.2 innings. The righty notched his first career save on Tuesday, while throwing an 101.9 mph fastball, the fastest pitch by an Oriole in the Statcast era. Bautista averages 97.7 mph on his fastball and has a nasty split finger.
But he also has many doubters in the industry due to command issues. For this reason, Baltimore could be open to moving him if they think his early season success won't last, which would minimize his trade value down the road. Bautista is making the prorated league minimum salary: $700,000 and is not yet eligible for arbitration. The years of control and high-ceiling arm could make Baltimore's asking price too high. Bautista seems to be more likely of an option at the trade deadline, and if he continues to succeed, would be a key acquisition in the form of a late-inning arm.
As for the free agent market, the Mets might have already grabbed the best option that was available in Hunter. There are very few high-risk low-reward veterans remaining, who they could kick the tires on.
Pedro Baez was recently released by the Houston Astros after a rough start to his campaign (11.57 ERA in three appearances). Baez, 34, dealt with a shoulder injury last season, which appears to be effecting his velocity in 2022. The Mets could possibly bring him in on a minor league deal to see if he can rebuild his velocity, before potentially joining the big-league bullpen down the road. The righty holds a 3.08 ERA across nine seasons in his big-league career, but if he cannot get back to throwing in the mid-90's, It's hard to envision a bounce-back with a new team.
Veteran reliever Trevor Rosenthal is available, and could be an option once he concludes his rehab/throwing progression. But the 31-year-old underwent two separate surgeries in 2021 for thoracic outlet syndrome and a torn labrum in his hip. Although his health is a question mark, the Mets could potentially take a flier on Rosenthal on a minors deal, however, there is no public timeline on when he will be ready to pitch.
Final Consensus
While the loss of Trevor May hurts the Mets' bullpen depth, the emergence of Drew Smith is the reason why the organization doesn't need to panic. The Mets could certainly use an additional arm in middle relief, but they're better off looking internally for now. If the bullpen is still shaky as we get closer to the trade deadline, that's when the team will likely explore a deal for reinforcements in this area.
Read More:
- Mets Ace Jacob deGrom Begins Throwing Progression
- Chasen Shreve, Joely Rodriguez Proving to be Formidable Aaron Loup Replacements in Mets' Bullpen
- Pete Alonso Slugs Mets To Another Series Win With First Multi-Homer Game Of Season
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