According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, the New York Mets are looking for a left-handed reliever to help bolster their bullpen even after trading for elite closer Edwin Diaz.
The name the Mets are most interested in is free agent Andrew Miller, who was one of if not the most dominant reliever in baseball from 2014-2017. He took a step back in 2018 with the Indians, posting a 4.24 ERA and a 4.24 BB/9 while dealing with multiple injuries throughout the season such as a shoulder ailment.
However, he still remains an attractive option due to his pure dominance pre-2018 as well as still having a strong 11.91 K/9 this season. His FIP was a still solid 3.51 even with the injuries, and he’s a reasonable 32 years old, so there’s still a good chance that he has a bounceback season. And with his relative struggles last year, he likely won’t command as much on the market.
If the Mets were to sign Miller, they would slot him into the setup role for the closer Diaz, much like he would set up the ninth inning for Cody Allen when he was on the Indians.
Zach Britton is another left-handed relief option, although Puma notes that he is seeking a closer’s salary and is less likely to sign with the Mets. Britton is the inferior option anyway, with plenty of health issues of his own as well as declining strikeouts and an increase in walks over the past two seasons.
Regardless, if the Mets can snatch someone like Miller or Britton to fortify the bullpen, they could strengthen what was arguably their biggest weakness in 2018. As it currently stands, Daniel Zamora is the only left-handed reliever on the 40-man roster.
