New York Mets backing up Steve Cohen’s vow with Trevor May

The New York Mets have taken that first step to backing up Steve Cohen’s stated desire to build a contender by signing reliever Trevor May.

Steve Cohen had expressed his plan for the New York Mets – to build a contender and to act like a major market team. Meanwhile, Sandy Alderson stated that the Mets were far more likely to be active in free agency than on the trade front. This statement made sense, as the Mets farm system is not exactly the strongest in the game.

The Mets started to fulfill both plans on Tuesday as they signed free agent reliever Trevor May to a two year contract.

The bullpen was a definite area of need for the Mets. While Edwin Diaz was finally the pitcher that they had hoped for, the rest of the bullpen was relatively shaky. May alone will not fix those issues, but he is a good start to solving that problem.

May had been a promising, but disappointing, reliever before undergoing Tommy John surgery and missing the 2017 campaign. Since his return in 2018, May has posted a 3.19 ERA and a 1.080 WHiP in his 113 innings, striking out 153 batters with 38 walks. Although he was used in several different roles in Minnesota, May should find himself with the seventh or eighth inning in New York.

He also adds another impact arm to what could be an impressive bullpen. Should the Mets get bounce-back seasons from Jeurys Familia and Dellin Betances, and Seth Lugo can remain in the bullpen all year, the bullpen could be a weapon.

This will not be the only free agent that the Mets ink to a contract. There are plenty of other holes on the roster, particularly in the rotation and behind the plate. But inking May to a two year deal is a good start, and a sign that the Mets intend on actually backing up Cohen’s words.

It may just be one signing, but in bringing in Trevor May, the New York Mets are showing that they are serious about contending in 2021.