Paul Articulates - Relief comes in many forms

The New York Mets, as expected, have landed some bullpen relief in the days leading up to the trade deadline.  David Stearns had promised to strengthen the bullpen, and he delivered as promised.  So far three talented relievers have been added to the team.

Greg Soto - Soto was an all-star pitcher with the Detroit Tigers in his 2021 and 2022 seasons.  He is a hard throwing 30 year old in his seventh MLB season.  He is primarily a sinker/slider pitcher who also throws some 4-seam fast balls and an occasional sweeper or splitter.  His high movement sinker causes very light contact, as witnessed by a 4% barrel rate by opposing hitters.  According to Baseball Savant, he ranks in the 96th percentile among MLB pitchers in this category.  With Baltimore this year, he recorded 10.9 K/9 and had a 2.44 K/BB ratio.  That control is very important to the Mets, who currently have a staff that struggles with walks.  The price for Soto was pretty mild, costing the Mets low-A pitcher Wellington Aracena and AA pitcher Cameron Foster.  Neither were on the Mets' top 30 prospect list at the beginning of this season.  Soto will hit the ground running with this club to spell some weary pitchers.  Soto has thrown only 38 innings to date.

Soto Pitches - Courtesy of Baseball Savant

Tyler Rogers - A veteran right handed reliver who is also in his seventh season, Rogers is a control pitcher who does not walk many batters.  He has spent his entire career with the San Francisco Giants, spanning 396 innings in 392 games.  This year he had an incredible 0.860 WHIP and a 9.50 K/BB ratio.  As a point of comparison, the Mets' staff to date has a 2.36 K/BB ratio which lands them in 24th place among 30 MLB teams.  The acquisition of Rogers came at a steeper price, sending Jose Butto, Blade Tidwell, and Drew Gilbert to the Orioles.  Butto has spent parts of four seasons with the Mets, pitching to a very respectable 2.55 ERA last season.  Tidwell was a highly rated prospect, soaring through the minors until he plateaued at AAA.  Gilbert, who was acquired in the Justin Verlander trade in 2023, had never reached the performance level that was initially expected, but had been hot recently in Syracuse.

Ryan Helsley -  This was the unexpected shocker that came down late Wednesday.  Helsley had been the closer for the St. Louis Cardinals who were on the edge of contention.  Few expected the Cards to become sellers to this extreme, and it puts an established closer in the same bullpen as Edwin Diaz.  Helsey has already recorded 21 saves this year in 26 opportunities.  To acquire him, the Mets had to part with valued prospects Jesus Baez (Mets #8), Nate Dohm (Mets #14), and Frank Elissalt.  Helsey has a triple digit fastball that rates in the 99th percentile for velocity.  He can play off secondary pitches slider, curve, and cutter to achieve a 94th percentile chase rate.  

Ryan Helsey ratings - Baseball Savant

The combination of Helsey and Diaz in the bullpen allows Carlos Mendoza plenty of options to finish games and eliminates the need to stress his closer with four-to-six out saves.

Mendoza also has a stronger stable of pitchers to get to the late innings, with the aforementioned Greg Soto, Ryne Stanek, and Reid Garrett all capable of providing shutdown innings to bridge from starter to closer.

The one thing that has not been addressed is the long inning reliever.  As mentioned in my prior post, the Mets have had difficulty getting quality starts from any of their starters other than David Peterson.  It would not make sense to burn five relievers per game when Senga or Manaea are pitching because it will stress the relief we just obtained.  

As I report this to you, there is still a day left before tonight's 6pm trade deadline.  Will Stearns deliver more?  Is there a long reliever in the works?  Are all the baby Mets safe?  Stay tuned to the news to find out where the Mets end up.  They are already stronger for the events of this week.