Tom Brennan - THE IMPACT OF THE LOSS OF SETH LUGO

Before I start the main portion of my article, since I first drafted it up, the Mets announced the signing of a solid major leaguer in Kevin Pillar.  I am unaware of the terms, but no doubt drastically cheaper and shorter than the contract of one George Springer.

I am fine without Springer and with CFs Pillar and Albert Almora, assuming there is no DH.  We get two decent righty players for center field, but will (subject to change during the season, of course, as circumstances dictate) still be able to start the defense-challenged but AWESOMELY OFFENSE-PRODUCING TRIO of Smith, Nimmo, and Conforto at the same time.

Even if the DH is added, a CF combo of Pillar and Almora is a lot better than terrible, and it does not tie up the center field with a huge multi-year contract in case Pete-Crow Armstrong goes all "Juan Soto" on the Mets and proves he is ready for the Mets' starting major league CF gig by, say, mid-2022.  Sometimes, the highly talent race up to the major league level.

OK, now on to my article du jour. 

Let me follow on to Professor Reese Kaplan's fine article yesterday on who the Mets might get to make up for the temporary loss in 2021 of one of our relievers (named below - be patient), with my take on why the Mets need to do something.

As Seth Lugo said, essentially, thank heavens it wasn't his UCL and thank heavens it was in mid February and not August that he'd need this surgery and miss perhaps 10 weeks of in-season baseball.

After all the next 6 weeks don't count in the standings.

But it is still a big blow to the bullpen.

Lugo has saved 12 of 20 games in his career for the Mets - that doesn't sound overwhelming, but it is about league average.

This injury means that Edwin Diaz needs to be healthy and "the good Edwin" early this year, because who else on this squad will save games?

Jeurys Familia?  0 for 5 in saves the past 2 seasons. No thanks.

Dellin Betances?  Maybe, if he is really "back", but he has saved just 4 of 7 in the past 3 seasons, all in a now-distant 2018.  Doubtful you want him closing at all.

Miguel Castro? 7 for 17 in his career.  Uhh-uhh.

Trevor May?  Perhaps.  7 for 10 the past 3 seasons.  But prefer to keep him as your 7th or 8 inning stud.

Rob Gsellman?  Well, he did save 13 of 20 in 2018, but is a "perfect" 0 for 5 since.  He has to make the team first before being considered to close in a pinch.

Lugo in his Mets career is 10-9, 2.53 as a reliever.  

Pretty excellent.  

We NEED Seth.

I'd also like to see him stay healthy in 2021 when he returns (quickly, please) because I want to see him get wealthy.  As a former 34th round underdog, he has overachieved and is making $2.9 million this year.  Next year could be $5 million.  

I like to see underdogs succeed - and get wealthy - in this game.

No doubt in my mind: the Mets need to acquire another reliable reliever who could close in a pinch.

After all, as Zach Scott said, you can never have too much pitching.

Let me add: 

ESPECIALLY IN THE BULLPEN.  

So letting the Yanks and not the Mets get the quite talented Justin Wilson wasn't the way to do that, but getting lesser pitchers like Mike Montgomery and Tommy Hunter helps.  I've always, too, been fond of Tommies, since I am one personally and so were Agee and Seaver (Glavine as a Met was OK, too).

We still need another quality pitcher, though, like a Trevor Rosenthal...the current pitching gaggle seems short a real quality piece or two.  My next article is Thursday, so Zach Scott, I want them both by then if you don't mind. My article on Thursday is about something else, but I'll gladly change it like I did for Pillar today.