Analyzing The Mets Bullpen Situation Headed Into Game 3

Citi Field was rocking on Saturday night when Edwin Díaz got the early call to relieve Jacob deGrom in the seventh inning. Behind three ground-outs, Díaz held the Mets then 3-2 lead and went back to the dugout to await his second inning of work. The Mets’ offense, however, exploded in the bottom half of the seventh and Díaz sat for 46 minutes while his team scored five runs to pad the New York lead to 7-2.

Staked to a five-run lead and six outs away from a potential Game 3 on Sunday, Buck Showalter opted to go back to his closer, who had thrown 19 pitches the prior inning, for a consecutive inning of work. Díaz rewarded his manager and retired two more batters before being pulled from Game 2.

Now, with only four outs away from glory, Showalter demonstrated he was not taking anything for granted and called upon Adam Ottavino the finish the game. However, the usually reliable reliever was not able to lock down the game for New York and got into a bases-loaded jam. After walking in a run and bringing the tying run to the plate, Seth Lugo came into the game to retire Josh Bell and secure Game 2 for the Mets.

Besides the blip from Ottavin0, the Mets’ bullpen has been lights out in the National League Wild Card Series. In Game 1, Trevor May, Lugo, David Peterson, and Mychal Givens did allow a run in a combined 4 2/3 innings of work. Game 2 was more or less the same story and Díaz, Ottavino, and Lugo combined for three innings and never surrendered the lead.

However, due to the managing of the bullpen in Game 2, Showalter will have his back against the wall with his relievers in Game 3. Díaz threw 28 pitches for five outs in Game 2 and never pitched in consecutive games in 2022 after working multiple innings. Lugo and Ottavino are questionable to be available in Game 3 due to Lugo working two consecutive nights and Ottavino throwing 35 pitches on Saturday.

With Joely Rodríguez on the injured list for the remainder of this series and potentially the NLDS, Showalter is left with Drew Smith, May, Peterson, Givens, and Tylor Megill as options to get the ball to Díaz. Despite it not going well in the past, Lugo may be available as well.

While Smith, May, and Givens all had reliable Septembers, none of them have been consistent in high leverage spots this season for the Mets. Peterson looked comfortable out the bullpen in September and can provide long relief in the worst case scenario in Game 3, but he is the Mets only left handed reliever and will most likely be used as a specialist. Megill, on the other hand, has struggled mightily since joining the Mets’ bullpen and gave up four earned runs in six innings this season. It would be shocking to see Megill in any scenario in Game 3.

If all goes right for the Showalter and the Mets in Game 3, Chris Bassitt will provide length and eat most of the innings himself. Bassitt faced the Padres twice this season and the starts were drastically different. In San Diego, Bassitt lasted only 3 1/3 innings and gave up seven earned runs. Meanwhile, at Citi Field against the Padres, Bassitt struck out a season high 11 batters and gave up one run over seven innings of work.

If Bassitt can go six, or seven innings, it would set the Mets’ bullpen up for success. Regardless, expect Drew Smith to play a pivotal role, as he is the most rested of the bunch. Certainly, a situation to monitor.