Reese Kaplan -- The 2025 Bullpen Needs Some Major Additions

Yesterday we examined what the 2025 starting rotation could look like.  It’s time now to take a similar look at the bullpen which at times during 2024 was the club’s greatest embarrassment.  For awhile it seemed like no matter who took the mound for the club after the starting pitcher was removed almost guaranteed to make things worse instead of better.  There were a few pleasant surprises but at this point the bullpen looks pretty thin going into 2025 between issues of health and career performance statistics which can override a one-time standout level of dominance.

First of all, you have the quartet of keepers.  However, despite they having earned this status, the only two with rock solid 2025 statuses are closer Edwin Diaz and newcomer Huascar Brazoban.  They are relievers.  Mostly they are very good at what they do. 

After that you have Jose Butto who may wind up in the starting rotation or could return as a stunning multi-inning reliever.  He earns next to nothing and is under team control, so deciding his role is the bigger issue than whether or not he will be back.

One of those surprising stat sheets came from nondescript minor leaguer Dedniel Nunez.  There is absolutely nothing in his baseball career that suggested he would deliver in the 6th/7th inning way in which he has done since arriving.  He’s on the IL right now and there doesn’t appear to be anything to suggest the health issue is going to hamper his start for next season, so his low cost and high performance makes him a no-brainer to invite back to the bullpen.

Now we get to the maybes — the players who showed some good stuff but whose health or career history suggests that what you see in 2024 isn’t necessarily a guarantee to be back relieving games next season. 

Newcomer Phil Maton has a history of performing in the majors at a middling level.  He’s guaranteed to hover around the 4.00 ERA.  Pitching coaches like veterans but it’s not as if Maton has ever been among the league’s best.  He was needed for the October push and has a contractual possibility to keep him but it would be at a pretty high cost. 

I like to refer to them as the Young brothers, but the unrelated Alex Young and Danny Young are both at ages when you would have expected more major league experience.  What little has been seen has been mostly positive and between low cost and great need they are going to be fighting for roster spots in Spring Training. 

As good as he’s been for the Mets, it really seem that the very injury prone Sean Reid-Foley also resides here.  You really can’t bank on a guy who plays in a single digit number of games in more than one season.  He’s currently on the mend with yet another injury.  He’ll definitely get a chance but the health remains a huge concern.

Another wherever did he come from candidate is Reed Garrett.  Earlier in the season when it seemed everyone was struggling big time, Garrett was doing so well you actually started to feel confidence when he was summoned into the game.  As the season progressed that stellar level did not continue and it coincided with his injury.  He’s also in rehab now, but his track record during his career was not very good and there’s no guarantee he will make the team.

Then there is late addition is southpaw Matt Gage.  His numbers look pretty good what little he’s played in the majors but it’s not a deep enough back of the baseball card to classify him as better than a maybe.

The next group contains pitchers who have either hit the wall with what they are capable of doing or who simply have not been able to put together a consistently positive string of innings to suggest they are more than the 29th, 30th or 31st player you would envision on the roster.  This trio includes Grant Hartwig, Eric Orze and Tyler Zuber.

The final group contains pitchers who have expiring contracts, are out of options or who are recovering from major injuries.  Everyone knows that both Drew Smith and Brooks Raley went under the knife, so banking on them coming back to the Mets is unlikely.  Ryne Stanek is a lot like Phil Maton and that’s not a good thing.  Adam Ottavino is on the off-again alternate year to his on-again good pitching.  Going on age 39 and a free agent to be he’s not likely to be looked at as a serious contender for 2025.  As outlined yesterday, Tylor Megill is out of options.  Consequently his Mets career is pretty much a done deal. 

David Stearns is going to look long and hard at the open market and trade possibilities to buttress the not very secure bullpen for the coming year.