Subscribe
Follow Us
With the 2025 MLB trade deadline approaching, the New York Mets are focused on improving their bullpen.
Team president David Stearns said as much on Monday, per ESPN.
“I think providing our group some reinforcements in the bullpen would be great,” he said. “There are generally relievers traded at the deadline. And so I'm sure there will be some this year as well, and we'll be involved in that.”
The Mets have already suffered a string of season-ending injuries to their relief corps, contributing to the team having the fourth-highest team bullpen ERA in baseball. Their starters also aren't going deep into games, putting further strain on their already beleaguered pen.
Closer Edwin Diaz has been great, and both Huascar Brazobán and José Buttó have been solid, though Buttó is now also on the IL. The Mets lack depth and could benefit from bringing in an arm who can get out left-handed hitters.
Fortunately for New York, there are quality arms expected to be available. It could start with Jhoan Durán and Griffin Jax, a pair of righties from the Minnesota Twins. In terms of lefties, the options aren't as plentiful, but Reid Detmers of the Los Angeles Angels could be an affordable option.
The Mets could promote a starting pitcher for bullpen help
If the Mets aren't successful in finding the bullpen help they need on the trade market, the team has a number of starting pitching options in Triple-A that Stearns said he's willing to consider for a bullpen role in the bigs. Blade Tidwell, Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean could all be candidates, per ESPN.
The Met would prefer, however, to bring in an established reliever.
“The challenge with doing that in season is, once you do that, you can't reverse yourself in the same season,” Stearns continued. “We can certainly reverse ourselves over the offseason, but once we shorten someone up to give them a chance to be a member of our ‘pen, really tough to build them back up if you need them as a starter. And so we want to be very cautious if we're going to entertain that.”
At 57-44, the Mets are just a half-game out of first place in the National League East.
