With Reed Garrett set to rejoin the Mets in Seattle this weekend and Sean Reid-Foley nearing a return of his own from the injured list, the Mets are staring down some key decisions regarding the state of their bullpen.
The unit, which was the team’s most glaring weakness for a majority of the season, has quickly stabilized and even turned into a strength in recent weeks. New York’s relievers are responsible for a 2.74 ERA, 3.44 xFIP and 2.98 SIERA since the start of the second half on July 19, all of which are top-three marks in the National League over that stretch. Those numbers represent quite the departure from the 4.86 ERA they posted from the beginning of May through the All-Star break.
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After acquiring three bullpen arms in Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek and Huascar Brazobán at the trade deadline, however, the impending roster crunch is necessary. While Garrett has a minor league option left, it feels safe to say he’ll have a role for the time being considering the fact that he’s played a major role when healthy this year. Reid-Foley, on the other hand, does not have an option and thus will likely stick around, plus he’s been a positive contributor and is under team control through 2027.
As a result, the Mets will need to remove two relievers from their roster upon that duo’s return. Dedniel Núñez, who is on the injured list with a pronator strain, will also factor into the equation at some point. The timeline for his return isn’t quite as clear though, even with the news that he is gearing up to throw a bullpen session in the near future.
Edwin Díaz is in no danger of losing his spot for obvious reasons, and both Maton and Stanek are near locks to remain with the team as key pieces for the rest of the season as well. Jose Buttó has an option remaining and could theoretically enter the conversation as a candidate to be sent down to Triple-A Syracuse based on that fact alone. It’s hard to imagine the Mets making that decision, however, considering his immense value as a multi-inning reliever who has posted a 0.87 ERA and 10.47 K/9 over 20 2/3 innings in that role.
Brazobán presents a similar case to Buttó in that he has three options left, but a demotion feels unlikely for a multitude of reasons. The 34-year-old right-hander is capable of throwing several innings and is in the midst of a career year with a 3.41 ERA, 2.71 xERA, 2.97 FIP and 10.22 K/9 across 34 1/3 frames. Brazobán has also excelled at limiting hard contact while getting hitters to both chase and whiff at an absurd rate, making him the kind of high-upside arm the Mets would benefit from keeping around.
That leaves Adam Ottavino, Danny Young and Alex Young as the most likely roster casualties in the coming days. Both Young’s have options remaining, so it feels like a safe bet that at least one of them will be sent to Syracuse sooner rather than later. Danny has recorded a 2.82 ERA and 3.26 FIP with 12.08 K/9 over 22 1/3 innings this season while not allowing an earned run in any of his last 10 appearances. Alex, whom the Mets claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants in July, has a 1.50 ERA and 3.01 FIP in six outings with New York.
Ottavino is aware of his current standing within the Mets’ bullpen, telling Mike Puma of the New York Post that he understands he may ultimately be cut loose, but that he remains confident in his abilities and how he can contribute moving forward.
“It occurred to me that it could happen, but at the same time you can’t control it,” Ottavino said. “I didn’t really try to worry about it. As far as I am concerned, the way I self-evaluate, I am still throwing the ball the way I want to for the most part, so I just have to try to live with the results.”
Ottavino endured a rough patch in May, much like a majority of the club’s relievers, pitching to a 9.28 ERA over 10 2/3 innings during that month. He owns a 3.00 ERA and 2.98 FIP since the start of June, however, and has largely been unlucky throughout the entirety of the season as his xERA sits at 2.95. His sweeper and sinker have both graded out as plus pitches and his peripherals currently sit in a good spot as well. While Ottavino has certainly hit some rough patches throughout the year, he’s a veteran reliever with playoff experience who can help the Mets as they make a push towards October.
The Mets have some tough decisions to make as they get set to welcome back a few prominent members of their bullpen. While their surplus of quality relievers is a nice problem to have and represents a heel turn from where the group stood just a few short months ago, the club’s decisions within this upcoming process could change the trajectory of their season for better or for worse.
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