Tom Brennan - From the Sublime to the Ridiculous in Pitchers' High Velocity Turnover

“WHO IS THIS GUY PITCHING?  I AIN’T NEVER HOID O’ HIM!”

Reese Kaplan had an update article earlier this AM on the Mets' pen rebuild. Based on the following, there is a lot of rebuilding left to go:

I googled the subject of pitchers used by teams in 2025, as the numbers of pitchers used baseball-wide was astronomical. Jack Baer, writer for Yahoo Sports, did this article (which I excerpted) before the season was even over:

For most of the season, MLB teams are prohibited from carrying more than 13 pitchers on their active roster. So it's quite a feat when one team manages to use three-and-a-half times that number in a year.

That team would be the New York Mets, who used their 46th pitcher in 2025 on Wednesday to break a record held by last year's Miami Marlins. The record-setting pitcher was Dom Hamel, who made his MLB debut with a scoreless sixth inning against the San Diego Padres in a 7-4 defeat.

The Atlanta Braves are right behind them with 44 pitchers used, followed by the Los Angeles Angels (41) and Arizona Diamondbacks (40). 

The team with the fewest pitchers used this season: 

The St. Louis Cardinals, with 24, per Baseball Reference.

Back to me: 

The fact that St Louis (with 24 pitchers used) used 22 pitchers fewer than the Mets is “simply amazin’”.

Yet, the 1969 and 1986 Mets championship teams each used just 15 pitchers.

46 pitchers used by Stearns and Co. in 2025 is a sign of sheer desperation. 

Arms were shredding like confetti.

And it is why the Mets collapsed. 

Let’s face it, you leave spring training with 15 or fewer pitchers

 - then you have to use THIRTY ONE MORE??

(Stearns calling Syracuse team: “Anyone down there whose arm is still attached?” “Well, sir, we have Hamel.”  “SEND HIM UP!”)

So, remember that 46 number the next time someone suggests trading Mets prospect pitchers.  If you are getting pitchers back, fine.  But why would you presume the Mets won’t use 40 or more pitchers in 2026?  And how much maneuvering and use of junk arms will occur during the season.

The Mets never wanted to get down to #46, Dom Hamel, last season. He had a 6.79 ERA in 2024, and a 5.32 ERA in 2025 in AAA.  Brutal.

But they were desperate, very desperate.

Hamel somehow ended up with a 0.00 ERA in his one inning of Mets work, while allowing 3 hits and hitting a batter. Thank you for your service.

So…

What is the answer to the high velocity pitching conveyor belt? 

I dunno. Ambidextrous pitchers?