How Will The Mets Bullpen Fare This Year?

The New York Mets’ bullpen has been widely discussed as a big question mark of the team. The potential is there on paper, but how will it pan out?

The top guns include closer Jeurys Familia, as well as late relievers AJ Ramos and free agent acquisition Anthony Swarzak. Jerry Blevins, the Mets’ only lefty specialist out of the bullpen, is also one of their top guys.

Robert Gsellman, whose role will most likely be in long relief, is a solid option bearing any short outings for someone on the starting staff. Paul Sewald and Jacob Rhame are two young relievers who have shown potential and promise, and will round out the Mets’ bullpen.

Although Seth Lugo will start in the rotation due to Jason Vargas beginning the season on the DL, we will likely see him hit the bullpen once Vargas returns. Fernando Abad, who was signed to a minor league contract on Sunday, could bring some lefty help to Jerry Blevins at some point this season. However, we will only talk about what we know for the moment.

Strengths

One strength that pops out at me for this bullpen is end-of-game versatility.

As manager Mickey Callaway has expressed previously, Blevins, Swarzak, Ramos and Familia all have the possibility of closing depending on the situation. I believe the punch that these four relievers can bring toward the ends of games can be quite powerful and dominant.

Jerry Blevins has shown the ability to be a premier lefty-specialist in the league, allowing just a .197 batting average to lefties in 2017. His walk to strikeout ratio was also very good against lefties last year, allowing just six walks on 48 strikeouts.

Anthony Swarzak, who came to the Mets in free agency this year, had 91 strikeouts in 77.1 innings pitched last year in stints with the Brewers and White Sox. Allowing just 58 hits in those 77.1 innings, he could be the perfect option for setup man, depending on the situation, alongside Ramos.

After coming to the Mets in the middle of last season, Ramos was able to show his versatility. He was able to close, having seven saves, as well as pitching in his likely role with this team as a setup man. His solid strikeout numbers, 25 in 19 innings, could make him the perfect man to be alongside Swarzak in that role.

Jeurys Familia, as we all know, has been an enigma at times for the Mets. He had a career year in 2016, when he notched 51 saves, was an all-star, and actually finished 17th in NL MVP voting. His 2017 campaign did not go as smooth, with injuries and suspension clouding over him. If he can bring back that fire that he had in 2016, he will lead a solid Mets bullpen as the Mets main man.

Rounding out the rest of the bullpen is Paul Sewald, Robert Gsellman and Jacob Rhame. Sewald and Rhame both have certain parts of their game that can truly help this team.

Sewald has shown the ability to strike batters out, averaging over one strikeout per inning pitched last year. He also allowed right-handed batters to post just a .204 batting average.

Gsellman and his ability to pitch longer than the rest of the bullpen should prove to be valuable to this team. Especially with a pitching staff who has been so inconsistent, it is nice to have a versatile man like Gsellman to throw in a game as a quick fix to a short outing from one of your starters.

This success against righties compliments one of the best parts of Rhame’s game, which is his strength against lefties. Rhame had 10 strikeouts in 10.2 innings pitched with the Mets in Spring Training, and he should be a nice addition in rounding out the bullpen.

Weaknesses

One weakness that could prove to be costly for this team is their shortage of left handed relievers behind Jerry Blevins.

Through their addition of Fernando Abad to a minor league contract, this could be an issue that is solved relatively early in the season. However, as it stands, Blevins is the only lefty reliever in the pen, and that could prove to be an issue.

Another issue that I believe could trouble this team is a lack of secured roles.

With closer by committee, roles in this bullpen will change game to game, which could shake up players’ confidence. If everyone could leave their egos at the door and understand that decisions are made in a game to game basis, then this weakness may be short-lived. Having so many options is a strength, but only if the players can handle it.

Overall

Despite the slight issues I mentioned, this bullpen has the ability to be solid this season. However, it is largely up to the players if they let egos get in their way. I would also pay strict attention to the way the Mets monitor and use Blevins throughout the season, at least until Fernando Abad joins the team, if he ever does.

I think our new manager Mickey Callaway and pitching coach Dave Eiland know their way around a bullpen, and will plug the right players into the right spots to give the Mets a chance at a successful season from their bullpen.

What are your thoughts on the bullpen going into this season?