The New York Mets have decided to move Seth Lugo back into a relief role with hopes of shoring up an emaciated and underperforming bullpen.
As per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, the team is moving Lugo “in anticipation of” the injured Jason Vargas returning from the disabled list when his turn in the rotation comes up.
Lugo, 28, has pitched to a 2.76 earned-run average this season, with a 138 ERA+, a 3.37 FIP, and a 4.20 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
In five starts this season after being moved out of the ‘pen, Lugo has a 3.52 earned-run average with 27 strikeouts and just six walks, with a WHIP of 1.261 Pitching in relief with that frightening curveball, he has a 2.27 earned-run average with a 0.953 WHIP and 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
To Matt Ehalt of The Record, Callaway confirmed that the team felt the “need to upgrade the ‘pen”. The Mets bullpen is one of the worst in all of baseball (4.84 ERA ranks 26th in MLB, 13th in NL).
Lugo spoke to Ehalt about the decision and it didn’t sound like he had any inkling that a move was on the horizon, nor does he seem all that thrilled with the situation.
“Kind of took me as a surprise a little bit. My last few starts weren’t what I wanted, not what anybody else wanted,” he said. “(I) lost three games but was just starting to find my rhythm. Was a little frustrating.”
