The Mets entered this offseason with a bullpen full of uncertainty.
About a month and a half into free agency, they added a lot of weapons – but virtually no certainties.
What has become clear about the Mets’ bullpen for 2024 is that it will be new.
After a 2023 season in which the unit was the second-worst in baseball according to FanGraphs’ WAR tabs, the Mets hope it will be improved as well.
“Our bullpen is pretty open right now,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said this month at the winter meetings, “and that’s not a bad thing.”
The Mets only have two near-sureties in the unit: Edwin Diaz (who didn’t throw a pitch in the major leagues last season) and Brooks Raley.
This offseason, they’ve given just one fully-guaranteed MLB contract to a reliever — signing Jorge Lopez to a one-year, $2 million pact this week.
Jorge Lopez marks an unstable addition to an unstable group in the Mets bullpen. Getty Images
Lopez is a volatile addition to a volatile group.
After converting from starter, the right-hander broke out as an All-Star reliever with the Orioles in 2022.
A year later, however, the 30-year-old struggled with three teams and finished with a 5.95 ERA.
Stearns is betting on a rebound from the hard thrower, whose fastball averaged 96.9 mph last season.
The Mets can’t be sure what they’ll get out of Lopez, but he might be their most reliable third arm right now.
Returning will be Drew Smith, whose business is tempting but who has found little consistency in the major leagues, as well as fliers such as Grant Hartwig, Reed Garrett, Sean Reid-Foley, Phil Bickford and Josh Walker.
Michael Tonkin signed with the Mets this offseason. Getty Images
Stearns has been creative in adding some interesting weapons to what will be a competition in spring training.
Michael Tonkin, who pitched to a 4.28 ERA with the Braves last season, and Austin Adams, whose control was always a problem but who struck out 170 batters in 114 ¹/₃ innings in the big leagues major, were signed to share remunerative contracts. different salaries depending on whether they are in the majors or the minors.
The Mets also signed Cole Sulser (3.87 lifetime ERA but pitched in just four big league games last season), Andre Scrubb (who hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2021), Kyle Crick ( who was absent from the majors last season). ) and 24-year-old Cam Robinson (who has yet to debut) on minor league contracts.
“There’s so much volatility in bullpens in general. I think we need to give ourselves some options there,” Stearns said. “We will fill a bullpen with quality bullpen between now and Opening Day, and it will likely take many different types of transactions to get there.”
There’s still plenty of time for Stearns to add a proven reliever or two, but it’s becoming clear that the Mets will rely on several bullpen arms to emerge during camp.
2023-12-17 01:35:18
#Mets #revamped #bullpen #glaring #uncertainty
