As mentioned earlier, the bullpen has been one of the team’s weak spots. Four of New York’s starting pitchers currently have an ERA better than all but two relief pitchers. The only pitcher that has been reliable with an ERA worse than these starters is Familia.
Familia’s ERA is north of 3.50, but he has yet to blow a save. Leading the major leagues with 21 saves proves that the workhorse closer is reliable day-in and day-out. However, other than Familia, there are very few relievers manager Terry Collins can rely on.
At last year’s deadline, the Mets acquired former closer Addison Reed. He was put right into the seventh inning role behind Familia and then-Met Tyler Clippard. He posted a 1.17 ERA over 17 games. This season has been nothing different for the right-hander. In 31 games, Reed is 1-0 with an 1.82 ERA and 10.6 K/9 rate.
The other reliable reliever has been left-hander Jerry Blevins. Blevins threw five shutout innings while with the Mets last season but never found a consistent role in the team’s bullpen until 2016. Now, he’s their go-to left-hander. In 15.2 innings, Blevins has a 1.72 ERA and 0.96 WHIP.
However, with Blevins being the lefty specialist and Reed the set-up man for the Mets, that means the team still needs one or two more late inning options. Though deGrom, Syndergaard, and the rest of the rotation can give a good seven innings every outing, in the games they fall short, the Mets need relievers who can come in and preserve the lead – or if they’re behind, come in and not give up any insurance runs.
Hansel Robles and Jim Henderson have been solid, posting a 3.25 and 3.52 ERA respectively. Free agent pickup Antonio Bastardo has been rough, posting a 4.33 ERA over 25 appearances. Logan Verrett, who started off the season hot, has gone cold and found himself with a demotion to Triple-A.
The team needs to find another player to replicate what Reed did in the seventh inning for the Mets back in 2015 (or a better set-up man and move Reed to the seventh). Regardless, there is work to be done for the Mets in its bullpen.
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