With what seems to be a solid Mets starting rotation coming into the 2020 season, even despite an unclear back end, left-hander Justin Wilson’s work with Mets’ new pitching coach Jeremy Hefner aims to make him a solid bullpen arm moving into the season. Wilson’s curveball is expected to make an appearance in a new way.
According to Justin Toscano of North Jersey, Wilson changed the grip on his curveball in the offseason, overseen by Hefner, that will serve to be more effective than the former. Wilson admitted his previous curveball wasn’t very good, with two fingers together on the top of the ball. The new curveball involves a grip similar to that of a knuckle-curve that allows it to move sharper into the zone.
With a career-solid 3.25 ERA, and a mean fastball and cutter to choose from, Wilson hasn’t had too much to worry about, but the potential of a new pitch from the southpaw could prove him to be invaluable to the team out of the bullpen.
In his first season with the Mets in 2019, Wilson served a 2.54 ERA in 2019, with a second-half ERA of 1.91. These numbers are his best since 2013, where he finished in at 2.08 ERA. Wilson also finished the season with a 3.91 FIP, 1.333 WHIP, and 4.4 BB/9. With a new curveball in the mix, Hefner has confidence Wilson could very well serve as a “weapon.”
“Mid-to-upper 90s fastball from the left side and a devastating cutter. You’re adding a third pitch in the mix,” said Hefner. “He easily can pitch at different points of the game, from closing to putting out a fire in the sixth. You can really deploy him in a variety of roles and it’s a real weapon for us.”
Wilson, 32, is working alongside Hefner in learning to utilize technology in his adoption of a new pitch. Wilson said, as far as numbers go, he immediately noticed a difference in his break when implementing Hefner’s suggestions. These adjustments only took one bullpen session to learn, an accomplishment Hefner said can typically take anywhere from six weeks to six months to solidify.
Mets’ skipper Luis Rojas is also excited at the thought of Wilson bringing a new pitch into the mix.
“I think the introduction of that curveball has led him to be even more successful,” Rojas said.
Wilson served a 2.54 ERA in 2019, with a second-half ERA of 1.91. These numbers are his best since 2013, where he finished in at 2.08 ERA. With reliever arms in the likes of Dellin Betances, Edwin Diaz, Jeurys Familia, Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman, and Brad Brach, Wilson’s curve can bring a much-needed addition to the bullpen that would make him lights-out if he delivers.
