Sandy Alderson has already announced both Steven Matz and Seth Lugo will be joining the rotation once they are ready to come off the disabled list. As a result, Tyler Pill will presumably going back down to Las Vegas.
With those moves, the answer isn’t clear as to what capacity the Mets will be using Robert Gsellman in. A report by Kevin Kernan of the New York Post, thought, says the Mets are considering installing Gsellman as the new closer.
“With that sinker of his he could be like [Jeurys] Familia,” a Mets official told Kernan. “We think he definitely has the ability to close. He’s got the stuff and he is fearless.”
The Jeurys Familia comparisons are not completely off-base. From a pure repertoire standpoint, Familia mainly throws a 97 mph fastball/sinker.
For his part, Gsellman predominantly relies on a 94 mph fastball/sinker. Perhaps with him maxing out for one or two innings, Gsellman could make up the three mph difference between him and Familia.
The real issue with using Gsellman as the closer is what they decide to do with Addison Reed. Unlike Gsellman, Reed has closing experience, and this year he has converted seven of his nine save attempts.
Still, Reed hasn’t been the same pitcher this year. Prior to this season, Reed had a 1.84 ERA, 0.957 WHIP, and a 10.5 K/9 in 93 innings. This year has been a different story. Reed has a 3.38 ERA, 1.125 WHIP, and a 10.1 K/9.
The diminished results from Reed could be his throwing a career high 77 2/3 innings last year over a career high 80 appearances. It could also be the pressure of being a closer.
From 2012 – 2014, Reed was the closer for the White Sox, and had a 4.22 ERA, 1.217 WHIP, and a 9.5 K/9. While Reed was effective as a closer, he was not the dominant pitcher he has been as a set-up guy for the Mets.
Given the stark contrast we have seen from Reed between 2016 and 2017, it may behoove the Mets to move him back to the role where he is the most successful.
The one thing holding the Mets back from that so far this season is the fact there have not been other pitchers they trust in that role. If Gsellman is indeed that guy, the Mets could be back to creating the dominant bullpen they thought they had to start the year.
