The Mets re-signed reliever Ryne Stanek to a one-year contract for the 2025 season on Wednesday, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. Stanek was a key piece to the Mets’ playoff run in 2024, becoming their most trusted reliever outside of Edwin Diaz. Stanek became the 3rd guaranteed major league contract the Mets have handed out this winter, joining likely swingman Griffin Canning and lefty A.J. Minter. The Mets bullpen now appears all but set, considering the arms they have on major league deals and relievers without options. The Mets also have a strong group of depth relievers, including a few with both options and a bevy of major-league experience.
Locks
RHP Edwin Díaz, RHP Griffin Canning, RHP Ryne Stanek, RHP José Buttó, LHP A.J. Minter
The Mets’ bullpen will once again be headlined by closer Edwin Díaz, who will be in his second year since returning from blowing out his knee during the World Baseball Classic in March of 2023. Diaz recorded 20 saves last year to go along with a 3.52 ERA. He has an opt-out clause in his contract following 2025 or can return for the final two years of his contract, the final of which is a club option. He is currently eight saves behind Jeurys Familia for third place on the Mets’ all-time saves list, and 44 behind Armando Benitez for second.
The Mets added former Brave A.J. Minter to the backend of their bullpen, providing themselves with a high-leverage left-handed reliever, something they were desperately missing in 2024. Minter missed time on two separate occasions in 2024 with hip inflammation and underwent surgery over the summer but says he is healthy heading into 2025. He will be paired in the back end with Ryne Stanek, who returned to the Mets after testing the free-agency waters following the 2024 season. He was traded from the Mariners to the Mets before the 2024 trading deadline.
José Buttó and Griffin Canning both figure to be options to provide length from the Mets’ bullpen. Butto was a revelation for the Mets as a reliever last year, which could be his future with the team now. The righty is out of minor league options, making it very likely that he will crack the major league roster out of spring training. Griffin Canning seems to be giving relief pitching a go for the first time and should have a few chances to make it work after the Mets committed north of $4 million to him this winter. He could serve as a swingman for the Mets next year, which could be helpful with a six-man rotation.
Relievers with Options
RHP Reed Garrett, RHP Dedniel Núñez, RHP Huascar Brazobán
Roster flexibility is going to be a bit tricky for the Mets’ bullpen this year. Reed Garrett and Dedniel Núñez became two of the Mets’ most reliable arms last year, but both put major workloads on their arms, missed considerable time due to injury, and still hold minor league options. The Mets could find themselves looking to save bullets on the arms of Garrett and Núñez by delaying the start of their year.
This would use a final minor league option, but could also allow the Mets to push off a decision on roster-bubble arms that are out of minor league options. Núñez specifically has not put more than 60 innings on his arm since the 2019 season and only threw 49 last year. Garrett threw his most innings since he was playing in Japan in 2021, but has cleared the 100-inning mark multiple times in his career.
Brazoban was a deadline acquisition for the Mets, bringing him in from the Miami Marlins. The veteran righty struggled in his first month or so in New York and was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse before the season ended. Brazoban has had issues entering the United States with a Visa in the past, including missing all of spring training in 2024. A delayed start to camp could result in Brazoban being either optioned or placed on the restricted list, as he was by Miami just last year.
Relievers with No Options
RHP Sean Reid-Foley, LHP Danny Young, RHP Dylan Covey
Notably, Sean Reid-Foley and Danny Young were significant contributors to the 2024 Mets at times, but are on the outside looking in on the Mets’ bullpen currently. Reid-Foley has been plagued with injury concerns throughout his career, including missing from late June through the remainder of the season just last year. Reid-Foley was arguably the Mets’ best reliever for a stretch in 2024 but has now missed significant time due to injury in all four of his seasons with the Mets.
Young became the only lefty-reliever in the Mets’ pen down the home stretch and fared well for the most part. As the roster currently stands, he is the second lefty on the Mets’ depth chart. He would be the leader in the clubhouse for a second-lefty spot with the Mets, but it is not a given that the Mets are going in that direction with their bullpen makeup. They reportedly remain in the market for submarining reliever Tim Hill, per Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated.
The Mets picked up Dylan Covey on Halloween and guaranteed him a 40-man roster spot with a major league contract. Covey threw 20 minor league innings for the Phillies this past year, after spending the first half of the season rehabbing from a right shoulder strain. Covey most recently pitched in the Majors in 2023 with the Phillies and Dodgers.
40-Man Roster Depth
RHP Justin Hagenman, RHP Kevin Herget, RHP Max Kranick, RHP Austin Warren, RHP Tyler Zuber
The Mets have a handful of 40-man relievers with minor league options highlighted by Max Kranick, who was on the Mets’ NLDS roster last year. Kranick impressed in spring training but missed most of April due to injury. The Mets added him to the 40-man roster on October 1st, just in time for the playoffs. Tyler Zuber was a trade deadline prize for the Mets, bringing him in from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Paul Gervase. Kevin Herget, Austin Warren, and Justin Hagenman were all added to the Mets’ organization this winter on major league contracts, guaranteeing them a spot on the 40-man roster. Conversely, all hold at least one minor league option, making it likely that they begin the year with Triple-A Syracuse. This group of five could serve as the first relievers up from Syracuse when the Mets needed to reach into their depth, which became a major focus for the team during the multiple suspensions they dealt with during the 2024 campaign.
Minor League Signings with Camp Invites
LHP Genesis Cabrera, RHP Grant Hartwig, LHP Anthony Gose, RHP Chris Devenski, RHP Oliver Ortega, RHP Rico Garcia
The Mets loaded up on interesting arms on minor league deals this winter, including a few arms with a bevy of major league experience. Lefty Genesis Cabrera was a staple out of the Toronto bullpen last year, appearing in 69 games. He accepted a minor league deal with a camp invite with the Mets shortly after the new year. Veteran righty Chris Devenski used to be one of baseball’s more reliable arms during his tenure in Houston, but the now 34-year-old veteran has struggled in recent years and was not able to make it stick with the Rays last season.
Southpaw Anthony Gose is a former center field prospect, arguably one of the biggest prospects in the game during his time in Toronto, but he has converted to relief pitching after he didn’t live up to the prospect hype as a center fielder. He has spent part of three seasons throwing for the Cleveland Guardians, with 21 of his 32 total innings coming in 2023. Rico Garcia and Oliver Ortega both spent all of 2024 in the minor leagues following cups of coffee with different organizations, most recently in 2023.
Grant Hartwig returned to the Mets on a minor league deal following a difficult 2024. The imposing righty missed significant time with a right knee injury, sidelining him for the second half of the season. Hartwig, now 27, threw 35 of his 42 major league innings with the Mets in 2023 and hopes to regain form with a healthy 2025.
