Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen is excited about the potential of the bullpen he’s created after signing righty Dellin Betances, “This signing was intended to blow the cover off of our ceiling.”
The ceiling for Betances is certainly high – 2.36 ERA and 14.6 K/9 in 381 career innings – though he’s also a guy coming off a season in which he faced two batters all year. He dealt with shoulder/lat issues all season then partially tore his left Achilles tendon in his return.
Van Wagenen is also expecting a bounce back season from his big acquisition from last offseason, Edwin Diaz. The former elite closer is working on mechanical adjustments with new pitching coach Jeremy Hefner in Puerto Rico.
Jeurys Familia is coming off posting a career worst 5.70 ERA and 1.73 WHIP in 2019 after Van Wagenen gave him a three-year deal. Veteran lefty Justin Wilson was good (2.54 ERA in 39 innings) for the Mets down the stretch in 2019, but have to remember that he landed on the injured list multiple times with eblow soreness too.
Right-handed Michael Wacha was apparently under the impression he was signed as a starter, that was before the signing of actual No. 5 starter Rick Porcello. Wacha is now in-line (of course injuries to the rotation can happen) to do something he’s done already 14 times out of 165 major league appearances, pitch out of the pen. Not to mention, that Wacha’s 4.76 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, and 1.89 K/BB last season were ugly.
Van Wagenen also brought back righty Brad Brach on a one-year, $850,000 deal. The veteran was solid for the Mets in 14 2/3 innings to close out the season with a 3.68 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 5.00 K/BB. Left-handed hitters smashed him to a 1.139 OPS last year though, and the new three-batter minimum rule could make his role tougher to navigate.
Then we have righties Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman, both of whom have spent the offseason preparing as starters. Lugo was by the Mets’ best reliever last season, and one of the best in baseball with his 2.67 ERA and 2.2 bWAR.
Gsellman on the other hand, has struggled since his debut season, pitching to a 4.78 ERA in 263 innings since.
Van Wagenen noted today that this group (though he left out Wacha), “this collective group has the potential to be one of the best bullpens in baseball.”
I do think the potential is there for the current group to be good, but also believe there’s too many ifs still. Luckily for the Mets, Will Harris, Steve Cishek, Daniel Hudson, Brandon Kintzler, and Pedro Strop are all still free agents. Why not add another Major League caliber reliever?
