Dedniel Núñez, RP
Player Data: Age: 28 (06/05/1996), B/T: R/R
Primary Stats: 25 G (0 GS), 35 IP, 2.31 ERA, 0.914 WHIP, 2-0, 48 SO, 8 BB
Advanced Stats: 172 ERA+, 35.6 K%, 5.9 BB%, 2.40 xERA, 2.22 FIP, 2.32 xFIP, 0.9 fWAR
2024 Contract: $740,000
Grade: A
2024 Review
Núñez, 28, was originally signed by the Mets in 2016, before taking a brief detour in the Giants organization and then eventually returning to New York. The Mets promoted him to the big league roster on April 9th and he would debut against the Braves. In his debut, Nuñez tossed two innings in relief of Adrian Houser, giving up one run.
After being shuffled between Syracuse and Flushing a few times, Núñez cemented his place in New York’s bullpen in June. He seized his opportunity and ran with it. Despite the struggles of the Mets bullpen, Núñez wasn’t given high-leverage innings that month. He was only called upon in the seventh inning or earlier, but in those appearances, he dominated. Over 14 1/3 innings, Núñez posted a 1.88 ERA, tallied three holds, and earned two wins during that stretch.
The Mets finally recognized Núñez’s talent and gave him real opportunities in July. He became New York’s primary setup man and did not disappoint. Over ten innings, Núñez posted a 2.70 ERA and struck out 15 batters, showcasing his ability to not wilt under pressure. Unfortunately, just as Núñez was settling into his new, high-leverage role, injury struck the reliever.
Núñez was initially diagnosed with a right pronator strain, landing him on the 15-day injured list on July 26. Carlos Mendoza predicted a short stay for the right-hander, and that’s kind of exactly what happened. After some rest and a brief rehab assignment in Syracuse, Núñez was reactivated on August 23. With the Mets desperately needing bullpen help, they wasted no time, calling on him immediately to finish off a game against Wild Card rivals in the Padres.
Unfortunately, the optimism surrounding Núñez’s return quickly faded. He mentioned that his throwing sessions felt off, and before long, he was back on the injured list with a right flexor injury. Thankfully, he avoided surgery, though his season would end after just that one appearance in San Diego.
Núñez finished his rookie season anticlimactic, but when he was healthy, he was absolutely lights-out. Nobody expected anything of this nature from Núñez, and his success should not be considered mere “luck.” A 2.31 ERA over 35 innings pitched is no small feat. However, his two primary pitches stood out even more, which were nearly unhittable. Núñez threw his slider 48.9% of the time, and batters had no answer, hitting just .145 against it. In fact, 38 of his 48 strikeouts in 2024 came from that filthy slider. Additionally, had he qualified, he would have ranked in the top 10 for both xERA (2.32) and xFIP (2.32) among pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings pitched—both stats stronger than Emmanuel Clase‘s.
2025 Overview
The Mets are still hoping for a quick return for Núñez. Not so long ago, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns discussed Núñez’s progress. Stearns stated that he is progressing well, and the Mets hope to get him back on a mound by about November. Hopefully, all goes well in that regard.
Contractually, Núñez will not impact the Mets’ payroll whatsoever. He is still on a rookie contract, so he’ll earn just six figures. The Mets will be looking to build around closer Edwin Diaz this offseason, and ideally, Núñez can be another high-leverage arm for the team. Looking ahead to 2025, Núñez’s combination of talent and a potential role as a high-leverage reliever should make him a key piece of the Mets bullpen for the upcoming season and beyond.
