Reese Kaplan -- Saving Games Could Save a Major League Career

Well, if it’s not one thing then it’s another. 

Just when the Mets played surprisingly adequate baseball after the oversized push broom removed a great many unwanted or unneeded ballplayers who would not help propel the team into October baseball an announcement arrived that the surprisingly poor performing Devin Williams needed to visit the IL to heal from issues related to his shoulder in his pitching arm.  

While no one ever wishes injury on anyone, it could help explain his less than dominating performance since he arrived.  No one is really clear on how long he’s had this issue and what it’s done to his delivery.  With the team firmly alone in the cellar it is better this guy on a multiyear contract heal up rather than risk making the recovery even longer by forcing him to play through injury. 

Right away the fans and writers all started debating what the team is going to do about the 9th inning with Williams on the shelf.  Several possibilities arose but on Monday evening manager Andy Green did what I had advocated here in an article quite awhile ago when he brought in banished starter Kodai Senga to take the 9th inning save assignment as he was both rested and had greater pedigree than many of the other options.  He had a scoreless ninth inning and the Mets put another unexpected W in the books.

Even with that one-time success too many people have closed the book on Senga.  Yes, they do remember the ghost fork success and his low ERA during two years as a starting pitcher but they seem to consider that something like an anomaly and could not be used to project success in any role on the mound.  Granted, between injuries and terrible outings for most of the past couple of years Senga has not filled anyone with a great deal of confidence, but the silver lining to the dark cloud of Williams’ injury is that now the club has a chance to provide Senga with regular pitching opportunities in a defined role, something that wasn’t clear during the vague “high pressure” pitching opportunity that was mentioned when everyone thought Williams was still in control of the 9th. 

Now there are some other pitchers to look at during this period to ascertain where they could fit not only this year but also for 2027.  A good example is Nate Lavender, a 26 year old southpaw who got promoted during the dumpster fire that plagued the bullpen at the trade deadline.  He’s not exactly chopped liver.  He owns a career 2.76 ERA as a minor leaguer and thus far in his three major league games he’s not yet given up a run.  With no A.J. Minter and no Brooks Raley it is entirely possible that Lavender could become the left handed option for major league games.

Another name that came up from some was career minor leaguer Jeffry Yan.  Yes, we enjoyed his celebration when he recorded a strikeout, but the numbers on the back of his baseball card really don’t lie.  He’s 29 years old and is making his major league debut this year after owning a 5.61 career ERA.  The on-the-mound jumping celebration was fun to watch but the rest of his metrics suggest he’s merely filling a spot out of team necessity. 

You could go down the rest of the relief pitchers available right now and no one really stands out.  Recovered Dedniel Nunez was better in the majors than he ever was in the minors but after coming back from injury it’s likely not a good time to push him too hard until they are 100% convinced about his health. 

It would seem that even with the possible returns of familiar faces like Reed Garrett and Trevor Megill the club is most definitely in need of some experienced and capable relievers.