New York Mets' Bullpen Must Get Back on Track Before Postseason
With the exception of elite closer Edwin Diaz, the Mets' bullpen has been shaky this season.
As a unit, the 'pen has a 3.67 ERA (11th in baseball), but in the month of August this number is north of 4.50.
At the moment, the two most reliable bridge options to Diaz are Adam Ottavino and Seth Lugo, who have been more than solid as of late. But beyond this trio, manager Buck Showalter doesn't have too many options he can trust.
Trade deadline acquisition Mychal Givens, who had a 2.66 ERA before joining the Mets, gave up three runs (charged with two runs) on Friday night. Fortunately for the Mets, Mark Canha and Pete Alonso ignited a comeback victory over the Colorado Rockies. Givens holds a 10.61 ERA since becoming a Met on August 2.
The good news is the Mets have received some help and have more reinforcements on the way.
Veteran righty Tommy Hunter was activated off the IL on Friday. Hunter has a 2.51 ERA with the Mets this season.
Not too far behind is Drew Smith (lat strain), who is ramping up in long toss and will soon move to throwing bullpen sessions afterward as his next step. The Mets need Smith to be the dominant reliever he was earlier in the 2022 campaign, before he dislocated his pinkie finger.
Last but not least, Tylor Megill (shoulder strain) is facing hitters in live batting practice and is nearing a rehab assignment next week. Megill began the season as a starter, but will rejoin the Mets as a relief arm in early-September if all goes well.
Since Trevor May came back in early-August after an extended three month stay on the IL, he has struggled with a 4.91 ERA across 7.1 innings. On the bright side, the righty hasn't allowed a run in five out of eight appearances, so once he shakes off the rust he could possibly revert back to a high-leverage relief role.
The only lefty in the Mets' bullpen is Joely Rodriguez, who has also struggled this season, posing a 5.11 ERA in 42 appearances. Swingman Trevor Williams is a solid long reliever, and will revert back to this role, as the Mets' rotation is about to be back at full strength.
The Mets are 81-46, which is tied for the second-best record in MLB. Although they have some reinforcements on the way, the team's biggest weakness is bullpen and they must improve in this area ahead of the postseason.
The Atlanta Braves are also right on the Mets' heels, sitting two games back in the National League East. Regardless, the Mets need more consistency from their relievers if they hope to make a deep run in October, whether it be as a division winner or Wild Card team.
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