Mike's Mets - Decisions, Decisions: Relief Pitchers

 

By Mike Steffanos

We're looking at some tough decisions the Mets front office will need to make after this season. Today we discuss the bullpen arms.

The New York Mets are in the midst of a special season after years of frustration. I'm very much looking forward to watching my team finally take part in the playoffs come October. But I'm also intrigued by the impending free agency of many important players and what that might mean to the Mets going forward. In part one of this series, we looked at the starting pitchers. Now we'll turn our focus to the bullpen, where the Mets must decide how much they're willing to pay to retain some key contributors.

Relievers are an inherently volatile bunch. It's become an accepted truism in baseball that intelligent, well-run teams don't build their bullpens by paying large salaries to established relievers. All too often, these pitchers get hurt or struggle to justify their contracts. Meanwhile, thriftier clubs often find valuable pieces for their bullpen by taking pitchers discarded by other organizations and making changes to unlock their potential. They also take promising arms in their minor league system and successfully groom them for relief roles.

On the other hand, teams willing to spend a few bucks often prefer to have a more experienced closer and some late-game options. For instance, the Dodgers allowed Kenley Jansen to walk away when his price tag got too high but then traded for Craig Kimbrel before the season started. The 34-year-old Kimbrel has alternated success with some massive struggles in recent years. He's been up and down in 2022, but LA is still keeping him in a closer role.

The Mets know something about having a closer struggle. Edwin Díaz has been quite good for the Mets this season but has gone through some tough times since coming over in the Robinson Canó deal in 2019. Edwin heard some boos from time to time, but the fans are really embracing him in 2022. He's rewarded them with some dominating appearances, such as striking out Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, and J.T. Realmuto to finish the Mets' combined no-hitter against the Phillies. Díaz has endured a couple of rough patches this year as any closer does, but he's been excellent. That makes his impending free agency after the season a focal point once the season concludes.

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