The Mets’ bullpen has a lot of promise going into the 2020 season with the addition of Dellin Betances potentially fortifying it if he’s healthy.
As of right now, the team’s bullpen would include Betances, Edwin Diaz, Seth Lugo, Justin Wilson, Jeurys Familia, Robert Gsellman, Brad Brach, and Michael Wacha.
Wacha currently would be in the bullpen due to the fact that the Mets have six starters for five rotation spots after signing both him and Rick Porcello.
However, Wacha has said he’s expecting to be a starter in 2020 so that could mean another move is coming, which would potentially push him back into the rotation.
The issue the Mets have is that they don’t have much bullpen depth at all, meaning that there is a lot of pressure on their current eight bullpen options to be healthy and productive.
Outside of those arms, the team has Paul Sewald, Chasen Shreve, Stephen Gonsalves, Tyler Bashlor, Jacob Rhame, Daniel Zamora, Corey Oswalt, and Walker Lockett as bullpen options that have made major league appearances.
While Shreve (minor-league deal) and Gonsalves (claimed off waivers) were smart additions, none of those options are ones that any team would want to rely on for any extended period of time.
Drew Smith could become a promising option at some point this season, but there’s a good chance he won’t be ready for Opening Day coming off Tommy John Surgery.
As a result, the Mets need to find a way to create more depth before the season starts which can be done in one of two ways.
The first option, and the more preferable, would be to sign a reliever to a major league deal which would allow the team to possibly have Gsellman start the season in the minors if everyone is healthy at the end of Spring Training. Someone like Steve Cishek or Collin McHugh would be perfect signings if they choose to go that route.
If the Mets don’t plan on signings any more relievers to major league deals, then they should at least try to sign some depth options to minor league deals such as Tony Cingrani, Juan Nicasio, or Derek Law.
Again, the first option is definitely the better method given that they are, obviously, higher quality arms and it protects against other top relievers getting hurt.
Wilson (left elbow soreness), Familia (Bennett lesion in his right shoulder), and Gsellman (partial lat tear) missed extended periods of time last season so the team should have some safeguards in place for health reasons alone. Betances also only made one appearance in 2019, dealing with a right shoulder impingement and a torn left Achilles tendon.
Add in that many of the team’s relievers underperformed this past season and there’s plenty of reasons to add another bullpen arm or two.
