According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Mets are close to an agreement with veteran left-handed reliever Jake Diekman. Diekman, 37, had a tale of two seasons last year.
The veteran struggled mightily with the White Sox to start the 2023 season, posting a 7.94 ERA over 11 1/3 innings. Following his rough start, Diekman was let go by the White Sox and latched on with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he might have saved his career. In Tampa, Diekman posted a 2.18 ERA over 45 1/3 innings pitched, struck out 26.8% of the batters he faced, and allowed only two home runs. Walks were still an issue, though, at 13.5% with the Rays.
Much of Diekman’s success in Tampa rode on a revitalized fastball, which ended the season with a +5 run value, making it one of the better fastballs from a lefty reliever in baseball. He tends to lean on his fastball, throwing it 57.6% of the time in 2023.
Diekman brings a five-pitch mix, which mainly pairs his fastball with a strong changeup and a sweeper, which is his main put-away pitch. Diekman also works in a cutter and a sinker but throws both pitches less than 10% of the time.
Diekman joins a backend of the Mets bullpen that will be tasked with bridging the late innings until closer Edwin Diaz enters in the ninth. Diekman will join the group of Drew Smith, Adam Ottavino, Jorge Lopez, and Brooks Raley, that tries to set games up for Diaz.
Also in the bullpen figures to be Michael Tonkin, a signee from this winter. Other names, such as Sean Reid-Foley, Phil Bickford, Josh Walker, and Grant Hartwig, are also in the mix for a bullpen spot with the Mets. The Mets currently have nine relievers on contract without options.
