Like it or not, the New York Mets are stuck with Edwin Diaz. They are not going to sell low on Diaz after sacrificing their top prospect Jarred Kelenic to get him. (I know, I know, it was a brutal trade that is going to haunt us for years to come.)

Diaz is not an awful closer — and I use the word closer loosely — but we were expecting the guy who saved 57 games for the Mariners in 2018 and instead we got Armando Benitez 2.0.

I literally gasped when I saw that MLB Trade Rumors projects Diaz to get $10.7 million in arbitration. Not bad for someone who has blown 17 games the last three seasons.

Anyway, enough about Diaz and let’s talk about the bullpen in general. It wasn’t that bad for the Mets bullpen in 2021, they essentially ranked in the middle of the pack in most categories including saves, inherited runners scored, and WHIP.

Jeurys Familia, Seth Lugo, Trevor May and Miguel Castro all had their moments and delivered mostly solid seasons. Sure there were some hiccups, but when you consider how awful the bullpen had been in previous seasons, this year was a mild and very welcomed success.

Photo by Chris Simon

Two of the relievers that helped drive that success were right-hander Drew Smith and the veteran southpaw Aaron Loup.

Smith, 27, has become a mainstay in the Mets bullpen and in his first three years in the majors he has a combined 3.11 ERA and 1.205 WHIP.

Last season, Smith really shined and I love his career trajectory so far. He posted a 2.40 ERA,  1.065 WHIP, and a .192 BAA in 31 appearances. Smith should get a well-deserved raise in his first year of arbitration.

Photo credit: Rhona Wise, USA TODAY

Loup, on the other hand, scares me because he’s eligible for free agency and the Mets cannot afford to lose him.

Easily the most serviceable and reliable reliever in the Mets pen, Loup delivered an incredible season, holding opposing batters to a .190 batting average and a .501 OPS in 65 appearances.

His 0.95 ERA and .0985 WHIP led the team and amazingly, he allowed just one home run all season long. Compare that to Familia, Castro and May who combined for 27 home runs allowed. Egads!

Even with Steve Cohen now sitting in the owners chair, I still don’t trust the Mets. They have yet to prove to me that they have their shit together.

I look at organizations like Tampa Bay and St. Louis and wish the Mets could be more like them. I want to be proud of our organization, but they just disappoint me more often than not.

Loup should’ve been signed, sealed and delivered in the waning weeks of the season when the Mets floundered their way to a disappointing third place finish. It’s unacceptable to me that they sat in their hands and still continue to do so.

If I had to prioritize all the many things the Mets need to address this offseason, signing Aaron Loup to a two or three year deal would be on top of my list.

It’s an easy decision for Alderson or whoever is calling the shots, and the fact that Loup is days away from testing the free agent waters frightens me. I can see more than a dozen teams going after Loup, and the Mets never come out on top when things get hot and heavy.

So please, Mets… I’m begging you to get Loup’s John Hancock on a contract before we lose and send our bullpen into a tailspin.

LGM