The New York Mets pitching staff as a whole has been a mess in 2017 from a combination of injuries, poor performance and high usage of the bullpen.
Despite the Mets having the second worst ERA (5.05) in baseball, GM Sandy Alderson gave pitching coach Dan Warthen a vote of confidence on Wednesday. “He’s part of the solution,” Alderson said. “He’s part of the group of people, including the pitchers, as well as the coaching staff, who are trying to figure out how to get this staff back to where we expected it to be.”
The Mets staff has the fourth worst BB/9 (3.79) including the second worst in the majors from relievers (4.20). The bullpen is also giving up 1.38 HR/9 this season after allowing only 0.96 HR/9 last season.
Jerry Blevins (6th in appearances), Addison Reed (tied 7th), Fernando Salas (tied 7th) and Josh Edgin (tied 16th) are part of a Mets bullpen that has already thrown 255.1 innings this year. The 255.1 innings place them seventh in the majors and only one team ahead of them (Milwaukee Brewers) currently have a winning record.
Zack Wheeler is the latest member of the Mets starting staff on Wednesday, joining Noah Syndergaard and Matt Harvey on the shelf in what has been a disappointing starting rotation. Combine those with the long-term injury and suspension of closer Jeurys Familia and the Mets have had a hard time all season finding quality innings from their pitchers.
Warthen, 64, has been the Mets pitching coach since his hiring in June of 2008 to replace Rick Peterson.
“Each team has to evaluate their own situation,” Alderson said. “And some teams are quick with the trigger and some are maybe overly cautious. What I want to do is make sure we’re addressing the problem and we’re doing so fairly, so that ultimately we can end up with a solution rather than just a reaction without substance.”
