After the five game series against the Atlanta Braves, the New York Mets bullpen needed a break. Unfortunately, there wasn’t one in the schedule.
That left Chris Bassitt to get them one.
It wasn’t his prettiest outing, but it was his grittiest. While dancing around eight hits and a walk, Bassitt threw 114 pitches over eight innings.
Like that, there wasn’t any concern over who came out of the bullpen on a night Edwin Díaz was completely unavailable. No need to dance around with Adonis Medina or Yoan López.
No, with Bassitt going eight, Buck Showalter could hand the ball to a trusted reliever – Adam Ottavino – to wrap up the win. Ottavino did just that securing the Mets 5-1 win.
In some ways, this was a page from the 2015 Mets. Use your dominant starting pitching and only those relievers you can trust.
Back in 2015, the only relievers the Mets trusted down the stretch were Addison Reed, Tyler Clippard, and Jeurys Familia. They had the starting pitching to limit it mostly to just these relievers in the big spots.
In the 2015 postseason, the Mets got innings primarily from Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, and Matt Harvey. That proved to be a bit of a double edged sword as it allowed the Mets to only have to roll with these relievers, but then, those relievers were exhausted and faltered in the postseason.
Fortunately for these Mets, they’re deeper. In addition to Díaz and Ottavino, they also have Trevor May, who has looked good since coming off the IL.
Seth Lugo has also better better of late. Moreover, Trevor Williams has performed in whatever role the Mets have needed from him. Keep in mind, Showalter isn’t Terry Collins as Showalter will use the next tier of guys when warranted.
That’s something Collins could never comprehend, and it cost the Mets dearly. Part of the reason the Mets could only use three relievers was because he only trusted three.
That led to disastrous decision making in Game 3 of the World Series which caused further bad decision making the rest of the series. However, the underlying principle was correct.
The more dominant innings you get from your starter; the better your bullpen is. Less innings means more rest. More rest means better performance. Better performance leads to wins.
In pressure spots, the Mets don’t want to see the last couple of pitchers in their bullpen. That goes double in the postseason. Of course, with Mets starters going deep, and we know they can, the Mets can lean on their top performers.
At least for this win, eight from Bassitt meant one from Ottavino as Díaz, May, Lugo, and Williams rested. It means the other pitchers will be fresher when called upon to pitch again.
This is how the Mets cover their tracks in the bullpen. Dominant starting pitching going deep into games followed by the 1-2 relievers a night the Mets actually want pitching in a big spot.
With certain franchises, the top player will always be the top player. Their legend and accolades just reaches that level.
The New York Yankees have Babe Ruth. The Boston Red Sox have Ted Williams. The Braves have Hank Aaron. The San Diego Padres have Tony Gwynn.
Then again, there’s the St. Louis Cardinals. They had Stan Musial, but then Albert Pujols comes along. The answer is still Musial, but with what Pujols accomplished, it’s now more of a conversation. It seems Jacob deGrom is becoming the Pujols to Tom Seaver’s Musial.
In his second start off the IL, deGrom flirted with a perfect game. Over the first 5 2/3 innings, he was absolutely perfect striking out 12 of the 17 batters he faced. The Braves had no chance against him, and really, the only thing that stopped him was stamina as he’s working his way back to full strength.
This would be the 200th start of deGrom’s career. He recorded his 1,523rd strikeout of his career. That is the most strikeouts any pitcher has had over their first 200 career starts. Yes, that includes Nolan Ryan, the all-time leader.
This is emblematic of how deGrom has dominated like none before him. In 146 starts, he’s allowed two or fewer runs. In 106 starts, over half of his career starts, he’s allowed one or fewer. Each and every time he takes the mound, he absolutely dominates the opposition.
His 157 career ERA+ is the best in Major League history for all starters. In baseball history, he trails only Negro League Hall of Famers Bullet Rogan and Bill Foster. This arguably makes him the best and most dominant pitcher in Major League history.
Looking to the Mets, deGrom currently holds a number of records. He holds the record in ERA (2.50), WHIP (1.007),. K/9 (10.8), K/BB (5.1), FIP (2.63), and ERA+. Looking at that, by some measures, deGrom has actually been better than Seaver. That’s remarkable in and of itself.
That said, there are records Seaver has that deGrom will never touch. That includes wins, innings, complete games, and shutouts. Seaver has some other attainable records like the three Cy Youngs.
That’s the thing. Seaver is the greatest Mets who has ever worn the uniform. There’s a reason he was the first player to have his number retired and there is a statute of him as you enter Citi Field. No one can and will ever be better.
That said, by some measures deGrom has actually been better, and his career isn’t over. There are things he can do that Seaver never did. Maybe deGrom wins multiple World Series. Maybe he has another Cy Young or two in him. Who knows?
All we do know is deGrom has done things Seaver never did, and he actually holds some Mets pitching records over Seaver. He’ll never quite catch Seaver, but he has increasingly put himself in the conversation. Just how much more he puts himself in the conversation remains to be seen.
So far, the New York Mets have dominated the Atlanta Braves over the first four games of this five game set. Like the prior matchups, the Mets are just proving they’re the better team.
The only game the Braves won was when Taijuan Walker had that odd step on the mound. He says he was alright, but his pitching was clearly impacted.
The two best players in this series have been Pete Alonso and Francisco Lindor. With all due respect to Michael Harris, the best defensive play came from Luis Guillorme.
As Carlos Carrasco, David Peterson, and Max Scherzer have shown, the Braves cannot handle the Mets starting pitching. Then again, who can? Oh, and by the way, the Mets have Jacob deGrom up for the finale.
After the dominant starting pitching comes Edwin Díaz. Like the rest of baseball, the Braves haven’t been able to do anything against him either.
Buck Showalter is managing circles around Brian Snitker. He’s expertly deploying Tyler Naquin, Darin Ruf, and Tyler Naquin, and he’s getting great production from each of them.
Showalter also had the stones to have Tomás Nido lay down that suicide squeeze. With Naquin’s speed and Nido’s bunting ability, that’s knowing your roster and managing to their strengths.
Win or lose the finale, the Mets have taken the series. Win, and the Mets will have wrapped up the NL East in the beginning of August and can their sites on catching the Los Angeles Dodgers for the top overall record.
For those nervous at this statement, put 2007 aside. That year never happened, and really, this is a far different and deeper team.
This is the Mets team with the best chance of winning the World Series since 1986. It can and will happen. This Braves series is all the proof we need.
In the previous game, Edwin Díaz threw two innings leaving him unavailable until the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader. Then, Taijuan Walker threw an awkward pitch.
Walker somehow got out of the first allowing “just” four runs. In the second, you saw he was off. It was 6-0 with runners at the corners and no outs. Doubleheader or not, Walker had to come out of the game.
That meant the New York Mets unsung hero Trevor Williams came into the game. He did what he always does. He gave the Mets innings.
En route to giving up the inherited runs, he got the Mets out of the inning. He’d load the bases in the third, but he wiggled his way out of the jam.
After throwing just one inning over two weeks, we was summoned to take the ball and do the thankless task of just eating innings. When all was said and done, Williams did not allow a run over four innings.
Williams answered the call and got the job done just like he has all season.
When the Mets were dealing with injuries to Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer, and Tylor Megill, he jumped back into the rotation. He gave the Mets eight credible starts including a seven scoreless against the Miami Marlins.
As a reliever, he has a 1.29 ERA over 12 appearances and 28 innings pitched. Of the 12 appearances, eight of them are multiple innings. Of those eight, five were 3+ innings.
His work in the rotation has meant credible starts helping keep the Mets in first place. His relief work has saved the bullpen and allowed their big arms to pitch another day.
Just look at what happened in this last game. The Mets fought their way back into the game. This forced the Braves to use all of their high leverage relievers.
The Mets didn’t have to use any, really just Williams. This is what makes Williams so vital to this team, and what he does goes beyond the numbers.
Williams is a reason the rotation has been great. After all, he was a part of it. He’s a reason the bullpen has been great. After all, he’s been a part of it. On the later, Diaz only needing to pitch in high leverage situations is part of the reason, Díaz is having an all-time great season.
Like with Pat Mahomes in 1999, Darren Oliver in 2006, and Sean Gilmartin in 2015, Williams is that long man who is a vital part of the team. Eating these innings while pitching very well makes the team great.
In the aforementioned three seasons, the Mets were a great team who went deep in the postseason. Williams will be a reason why the Mets do it again this season.
The New York Mets began a five game series against the Atlanta Braves which will define the rest of the season for both clubs. For the Mets, it’s a chance to end the NL East race here and now.
Buck Showalter was sending the moment in the first game of the series. With the Mets up two in the eighth, he went to Edwin Diaz to face the heart of the Braves order.
Showalter has done that previously only to have someone else pitch the ninth. This time was different. This time, it was the Braves in a postseason atmosphere. This time, Díaz was out to pitch the ninth.
Díaz worked around an Eddie Rosario lead-off single and wild pitch. After an Orlando Arica excuse me groundout to end the game, Díaz recorded the first six out save of his career.
That was yet another chapter in Díaz’s dominating season. It’s shaping up to be an all-time great season, and it’s high time we began giving him Cy Young consideration.
In Major League history, nine relievers have won a Cy Young. Bruce Sutter won in 1979 and was considered the first real closer to win. Eric Gagné was the last, and it was on the strength of converting 55 consecutive saves.
As noted by SABR, a reliever winning the Cy Young usually coincides with two primary factors: (1) Lack of dominant starting pitching; and (2) a historic season by a reliever. With Díaz, the second factor is certainly in place.
Right now, Díaz is 2-1 with 24 saves, a 1.44 ERA, 0.893 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9, and a 17.9 K/9. From an advanced stat perspective, he has a 278 ERA+, 0.92 FIP, 2.3 bWAR, and a 2.2 fWAR.
Let’s use Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer of all-time, for some comparison here because it’s illustrative of just how great Díaz has been.
Rivera’s best ever FIP was a 1.88, and his best ERA+ was 316. His best K/9 was 10.9. In essence. All three of these came in different seasons, and Díaz is pitching like this right now.
While that’s outstanding, what really stands out with Díaz is the strikeout numbers.
So far this season, Díaz has struck out 52.1% of the batters he’s faced. There have been 167 unlucky batters to face Díaz this season, and 87 of them have struck out.
That’s in line for the second best single season mark in MLB history, and he’s off the top mark by 0.4%. That record is well within his reach.
Diaz is currently striking out 17.9 batters per nine. That’s in line for the best mark in Major League history. By any strikeout measure, this is a record setting season.
When a reliever has a season like this, they deserve Cy Young attention. Historically, relievers have.
Right now, the consensus is this is Sandy Alcantara’s award to lose right now. One note here is it’s taken Alcantara 158 1/3 innings to post a 5.8 bWAR. Díaz has a 2.3 in 43 2/3 innings. On an inning per WAR basis, Díaz is outperforming him.
That’s not to say Díaz deserves the award over Alcantara or any other starter. The odds are Alcantara deservedly runs away with this award. That said, Díaz merits significant attention for the record setting season he is having, and he should be on the writer’s ballots come voting time.
The minor leagues were designed to develop players to eventually help your team win. That not only comes in the form of players making it to the majors, but it is also trading those prospects to acquire Major Leaguers.
On the latter, the Mets made a series of moves designed to help them win their first World Series since 1986. Here is a review of the prospects traded.
Daniel Vogelbach for Colin Holderman
Holderman entered the season as MMN’s 30th ranked prospect. By the rankings, he would be the top prospect moved at the trade deadline.
Holderman proved his ranking was justified with a strong stint in the majors. He used his high velocity, high spin fastball and slider to truly impress. In 15 appearances, he pitched 17 2/3 innings going 4-0 with a 2.04 ERA, 1.019 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9, and a 9.2 K/9.
Tyler Naquin and Phillip Diehl for Hector Rodríguez and Jose Acuña
Acuña and Rodríguez were both prospects coming into their own in Single-A. As Michael Mayer of MMN noted, both are helium players who were going to make the end of the season too 30 rankings.
Acuña, 19, has made eight appearances this season between the Florida Complex League and with the St. Lucie Mets. He is 3-0 with a 3.16 ERA, 0.974 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9, and a 12.5 K/9. Acuña has a fastball which reaches the mid-90s with a high spin rate while working on promising secondary offerings.
Rodríguez, 18, has played 28 games between the Florida Complex League and with the St. Lucie Mets. He’s hitting .342/.378/.532 with four doubles, four triples, three homers, and 16 RBI. He is considered a plus runner who has played center predominantly and some second base. He has been successful in 12/15 stolen base attempts.
Darin Ruf for J.D. Davis, Carson Seymour, Thomas Szapucki, and Nick Zwack
Like with the aforementioned trade, pre-season and out-of-date prospect rankings likely would give a different impression of what the Mets traded.
Seymour, 23, and Zwack, 24, were part of last year’s draft, and they were going to be a part of the Mets top 30 rankings.
Seymour has a mid-90s fastball which tops off at 99 MPH that he combines that with a strong curvy slider. The change is a work in progress which has about a 15 MPH difference from his fastball.
Between St. Lucie and Brooklyn, he is 5-5 with a 2.76 ERA, 1.090 WHIP, 2.3 BB/9, and a 10.1 K/9.
Zwack is a spin king generating a lot of swings-and-misses. As a result, his low 90s fastball, low 80s slider, and change are quite effective.
Between St. Lucie and Brooklyn, he’s made 15 starts and three relief appearances. He’s 6-2 with a 2.36 ERA, 0.996 WHIP, 2.1 BB/9, and an 11.3 K/9.
Mets fans are somewhat familiar with Szapucki having seen him in two Major League appearances where he struggled.
Szapucki was once a highly touted prospect, but injuries and some control issues had seen him fall to the periphery of Mets top prospect rankings.
Still, he had the mid 90s fastball and curve with great spin that could miss bats. In fact, if he had enough innings to qualify, his 12.2 K/9 would’ve lead the International League.
Overall, Szapucki was 2-6 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.297 WHIP, 4.1 BB/9, and a 12.2 K/9 with Triple-A Syracuse.
Mychal Givens for Saúl González
González, 22, is a tall 6’7” pitcher with a low 90s fastball. Until this season, he has not made any impression with his five years with the organization.
That said, while repeating St. Lucie this season, González is 2-1 with one save, a 2.81 ERA, 1.208 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9, and a 10.2 K/9.
Overview
Overall, the Mets gave up approximately four top 30 level prospects from a farm system that appeared to be rebuilding into something quite strong and deep. This is a definite hit.
That hit is further felt with the Mets trade deadline incomplete. In fact, the bullpen is in a worse state than where it was when the trade deadline began.
The glass half full view is the Mets draft better than everyone allowing them to replace this talent more than other organizations can. Also, we’ve seen Steve Cohen will spend to overcome the lack of minor league depth.
It should also be mentioned the Mets roster is much better than it was entering the trade deadline. That counts for something.
That said, the collective was too high a cost for these players. It is eerily reminiscent of 2015 where the Mets acted all-in leaving the team short in the bullpen. That eventually came to haunt them in the World Series.
In the end, that’s what this is all about – winning the World Series. If the Mets win for the first time in 36 years, no one will care, and frankly, no one should care. However, if they don’t, Billy Eppler should be the subject of scorn and criticism.
The New York Mets thought their offense needing addressing at the trade deadline, and they set out to do it. Apparently, that was really their objective.
It’s undeniable Tyler Naquin, Darin Ruf, and Daniel Vogelbach make this a more potent offensive team. When you look at the high prospect cost, it appeared the Mets were not going to let prospects stand in the way of a World Series.
So, then, how does Billy Eppler and the Mets explain only coming away with Mychal Givens to bolster the bullpen at the trade deadline?
Keep in mind, Colin Holderman was having a better season than Givens. Yes, Givens is having a good season, and he has a good track record, but overall, Holderman was better leaving the Mets in a worse spot than when they entered the trade deadline.
This is where you wonder what Billy Eppler was thinking.
He traded Holderman because of a purported robust relief market. Then, on the trade deadline, he admits it wasn’t all that robust, and that the prices were too high.
This doesn’t pass the smell test.
The Philadelphia Phillies acquired David Robertson from the Chicago Cubs for prospect Ben Brown, a soon to be Rule 5 eligible pitcher who has not reached Double-A. Sure, he’s the Phillies seventh best prospect, but their system is one of the very worst in the game.
The Minnesota Twins made an intra-division trade to acquire Michael Fulmer from the Detroit Tigers. The cost was pitching prospect Sawyer Gipson-Long. He’s a 24 year old former sixth round pick with a 7.17 ERA in Double-A.
Baltimore Orioles All-Star closer Jorge López went to the Twins as well. Admittedly, it took quite a haul to get him. Really, he’s just about the only reliever who came at a steep cost.
Raisel Iglesias was basically a salary dump to the Atlanta Braves. The Mets could’ve thought outside the box to bring Noah Syndergaard back to recreate Game 5 of the NLDS. That Mickey Moniak led return was laughable.
Then again, so is the notion the Mets are going to the postseason with Tommy Hunter and Joely Rodriguez in their bullpen.
Now, it’s imperative Trevor May is healthy, effective, and has the stamina the rest of the way. Seth Lugo needs to further prove he’s all the way back. Adam Ottavino needs to continue this run.
Drew Smith and Tylor Megill may need a miracle to be 100% in time for the postseason, and Megill has to show he can pitch in the pen. David Peterson has shown he couldn’t, but now, he needs to be in that mix again.
That’s hope, and hope is not a plan. Whatever the case, that’s what the Mets are left with after the trade deadline. They just have to hope it’s enough.
That’s a dereliction of duty by Eppler, and that goes double when you consider his excuses in trading Holderman. What makes this all the worse is the relatively low prices at the deadline, and the Mets overpaying for bats.
In the end, we just have to hope the Mets have enough. If not, they’ll forever lament not going all-in as their trades indicated they were. They’ll be left wondering why they didn’t try to do all they could to win the World Series and why they gave up so much just to fall short.
We hear it all the time, especially from the New York Mets in the Wilpon Error (Era). When so-and-so comes off the IL, it’s like a trade deadline acquisition.
For the Wilpons, it was their way of excusing away having players in the lineup or rotation who had no business being there. For that matter, they might’ve had no business being in the majors.
This is typically where Mets fans cue up the old John Mayberry Jr. and Eric Campbell hitting in the middle of the lineup.
That’s really how we know how things are different under Steve Cohen. The replacements for Jacob deGrom were definitively not at deGrom’s level, but they were Major League caliber pitchers.
Yes, there were other injuries. That said, the Mets were still able to throw out a mix of Tylor Megill, David Peterson, and Trevor Williams as injury replacements.
Those are each credible MLB starters. Certainly, they can be a part of a regular MLB rotation. They proved as much this season.
That’s why deGrom coming back from the IL actually feels like he’s a trade deadline acquisition. He’s coming back as an upgrade and not as the Mets finally getting an MLB caliber player after weeks and months without one.
Assuredly, that feeling is magnified by deGrom returning on the actual day of the trade deadline.
If deGrom is deGrom, this Mets team got better at the deadline than any other team. That goes double when you consider what deGrom has done in the postseason.
After all, that’s what this is really about – it’s about winning the World Series. Sure, even after the day is done, this roster won’t be perfect. However, they will be built to win a World Series.
No team is topping deGrom and Max Scherzer atop the rotation. Some may think they’re close, but they’re not equals. The Mets have a massive advantage here.
After that, the Mets can roll out Chris Bassitt, Carlos Carrasco, and Taijuan Walker in the matter they see fit. They each could be a two in most rotations, even good ones, and with the Mets they slot in three through five.
On the trade deadline, Jacob deGrom returns to the rotation. When healthy, he’s the best pitcher in baseball. He makes the Mets rotation the best in baseball. Ultimately, he makes this Mets team the toughest to beat in the postseason.
On the eve of the MLB trade deadline, the New York Mets put J.D. Davis into the lineup as the DH. Even better, he was batting fifth.
Excuses were abound. It was a left-handed starter, and Daniel Vogelbach isn’t good against left-handed pitching (true). Patrick Corbin was on the mound, and Davis owns him.
That was once true. It’s not any more. It may be in the reverse now. Including this game, he’s 1-for-8 with two GIDP, three strikeouts, and a walk.
Not only is that against a pitcher he’s owned, but it’s also against someone who is probably the worst pitcher in baseball right now. What exactly does that say about Davis?
To answer the rhetorical question, it means Davis cannot play anymore. Not for a team looking to win a World Series.
Credit Buck Showalter for removing Davis for Vogelbach when the Washington Nationals went to their bullpen. That decision should be for good.
The Mets simply have to do better. Davis strikes out over 30% of the time. He hits the ball into the ground half the time. We can go on and on and delve deeper and deeper, but it’s best summed up by his bring lifted and benched.
The sad part is that’s all Davis can do. He’s horrendous in left and at third. Even if you want to overblow that one game saving pick at first, you’re not playing him over Pete Alonso.
Davis has lived far too long off the fluke 2019 season fueled by a juiced ball and an unsustainable BABIP. There’s too much at stake now, and there are players available.
Maybe there’s a Wilmer Flores reunion where the Mets can undo that massive mistake of non-tendering him and trading for Davis. There’s other smaller options, and of course, the chance at J.D. Martinez.
For that mater, the Mets can call-up Francisco Álvarez or Mark Vientos. Really, at this point, anything is better. Anything.
Davis had two at-bats in the game ahead of the deadline. He’s entitled to no more. Not upgrading from him is too egregious to even ponder.
Overall, Davis has to have played his last game as a Met. Once he’s gone, we can then focus on a complete roster ready to win a World Series.