The Mets currently sit in third place in the NL East with a 20-22 record, three and half games behind the first place Phillies. After a hot 9-4 start, the team’s underwhelming performance on both offense and defense has caused them to fall just below .500, going 11-18 in their last 29 games. A notable part of the reason why the Mets have struggled early on can be attributed to early failures from free agent signings.
On the Bump
After trading for All-Star closer Edwin Diaz, New York reunited with their former closer Jeurys Familia – this time to take on a setup role- on a three-year, $30-million dollar deal and signed lefty reliever Justin Wilson to a two-year, $10 million dollar contract.
The Mets bullpen was projected to be a team strength after their first-year general manager Brodie Van Wagenen’s statement offseason acquisitions, but these signings have proven to be detrimental thus far. The Mets currently have the sixth highest walk rate and 20th ranked ERA in Major League Baseball, according to FanGraphs.
The Mets re-acquired free agent relief pitcher Jeurys Familia for a second tour of duty in Queens this past December. Familia spent almost all of his professional career in the Mets organization before being dealt to the Oakland A’s just prior to the trade deadline last July.
From his debut in 2012 up until he was traded, Familia distinguished himself as a significantly accomplished reliever for the Amazin’s. Primarily as their closer, he flourished with a 2.87 ERA, 1.243 WHIP, and a 0.4 HR/9 rate in 367 innings of work. As a 2016 All-Star, he recorded a league-leading 51 saves and currently ranks third on the Mets all-time list with 123.
To begin the 2019 season Familia looked as promising as ever in his first four outings. In 3 2/3 innings pitched he allowed just one hit, walked two batters, and struck out six without giving up an earned run.
Unfortunately, the Mets ol’ reliable’s control was shortly proven fickle. In his next 10 2/3 innings pitched, he walked 11 batters and posted an 8.44 ERA – allowing his opponents to hit for a whopping 1.119 OPS – all while failing to strike out a single batter. While inheriting just three runners this season, he’s given up ten earned runs.
Thus far, Familia has held on to a consistent 9.4 K/9 rate, which is exactly the same as his career average. The problem for Jeurys seems to lie in his control. In 14 outings, he’s issued 13 base on balls. His walk rate has increased dramatically, currently sitting at an alarming 8.2 BB/9, which differs vastly from his career average of 3.8.
Familia has a –0.2 WAR, 6.28 ERA, 5.87 FIP, and a 1.89 WHIP in 15 1/3 innings pitched this year and has allowed two home runs.
For perspective, in 72 innings pitched in 2018, he allowed just three home runs.
Familia was placed on the 10-day injured list in the beginning of May due to soreness in his right shoulder. He threw a scoreless inning on Wednesday in his return from the IL.
The team plans to ease him back into pitching in high-leverage situations. With the availability of Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman to pitch in the eighth inning, Mickey Callaway is in no rush to slot Familia back into the setup role until he has earned his place and both parties feel absolutely comfortable with the decision.
The Mets appeared to bolster their bullpen even further when they signed lefty reliever Justin Wilson to a two-year deal in January. The 31-year old southpaw held a 3.46 ERA for the Cubs in 2018 through 71 games. Over his seven-year career, he’s been a part of several clubs in both the American and National Leagues including a brief stint with the Mets cross-town rivals in the Bronx in 2015, where he owned a 3.10 ERA in 61 innings of work.
Wilson has a career 3.36 ERA, 1.271 WHIP, 5.4 BB/9 and 11.4 K/9 rate through 380 innings pitched.
While the Wilson signing initially looked to be a nice depth add, Brodie Van Wagenen’s plan to boost the Mets relief pitching has not yet panned out as like Familia, Wilson has struggled on the mound thus far. Through 9 1/3 innings, he’s posted a 4.82 ERA, 5.89 FIP, giving up two home runs and walking four.
With a swollen ERA and lack of production, Wilson’s notable inefficiency on the bump has been highlighted by his inability to stay on the field.
On April 22, Wilson went on the injured list citing mild elbow soreness. He returned after two weeks and he was reactivated to pitch on May 6. In the Mets 4-0 loss to the Padres, Wilson threw one inning of work and gave up two earned runs.
The Mets placed Wilson back on the 10-day injured list on Saturday because of his ongoing elbow issue.
The timeline for Wilson’s return is questionable, and with fellow lefty Luis Avilan also on the IL, Daniel Zamora is the only southpaw left in the pen for New York. The team hopes to figure out the root of Wilson’s lingering issue to get their much-needed lefty back on the field.
At the Plate
Along with their pitching woes, the Mets free-agent position player signings have also fell short of preseason expectations- further imputing to the team’s early panic.
During the offseason the club filled a hole at the catching position by signing free-agent Wilson Ramos to a two-year, $19-million-dollar contract and added infield depth with the addition of switch-hitting utility man Jed Lowrie on a two-year, $20-million-dollar deal. The pair of 2018 All-Stars have been nothing short of disappointing with Ramos struggling and Lowrie having yet to make a Major League appearance in 2019.
Through his nine-year career prior to joining the Mets, Wilson Ramos batted .273/.317/.439 with 109 home runs, and regarded as a solid pitch-framer. While injuries have been an issue for him in the past, he’s been able to stay on the field thus far but hasn’t been able to give the Mets the type of production that they had hoped for.
Since coming to Queens, Ramos is hitting .238/.304/.311 in 135 PA with -0.5 WAR and just two home runs. His lack of power is of note and he’s been an absolute ground ball machine. Ramos’ 61.6 GB% is currently the highest in the majors. Ramos has a career 7.7 XBH% but sits at just 3.2% this season, per FanGraphs. This reduction of power and influx of ground balls is troubling, as the Mets signed him for both his offensive and defensive strengths.
Ramos’ work behind the plate has also been a huge concern. Obviously, a large component of catching is preventing runners from advancing on wild pitches or passed balls. Thus far, Ramos has accounted for -5 DRS, -1 rSB, -2.7 runs (the fourth-worst in the majors) according to FanGraphs new framing metric.
Catching has seemed to be an issue for the Mets for the past decade, and they hope that Ramos will return to form, backed up Tomas Nido, in order to plug a lingering hole.
Back in January, Van Wagenen put his faith in his former client when he signed 35-year-old Jed Lowrie to come in and take on super-utility role for the Mets upcoming season. This acquisition was seen as a win-win by management, as it also created depth in the outfield by relocating regular infielder Jeff McNeil to left field. Lowrie has a career 17.6 WAR, and has hit .262/.335/.414 with 104 home runs through his 11 years in the majors. He played statistically the best two seasons of his career from 2017-18 when he batted .272/.356/.448 with 37 home runs for the Oakland A’s.
Only a few short days after arriving at spring training, Lowrie suffered a sprained capsule left knee that has forced him into rehabilitation ever since. His status has been questionable throughout the season with minimal updates from the team regarding his return. Lowrie is 5-for-31 through his rehab assignment for Single-A St. Lucie and Syracuse.
Last week, it was reported that there was a “strong chance” Lowrie would make his Mets debut on Friday against the Marlins.
The team then decided they would give him more time in Triple-A before activating him. He went 3-for-4 with a home run and a walk in his second to last start for the Syracuse Mets.
Then the veteran suffered a setback, he was diagnosed with a low grade hamstring sprain and shut down from all baseball activity. He will be reassessed in two weeks.
Combined, Brodie Van Wagenen’s free agent signings account for -0.9 fWAR. The alarming lack of production is something the Mets may need to address before the trade deadline if the team plans to contend in an exceedingly competitive NL East division.
