The Mets will add a left handed relief pitcher to bolster the bullpen.
For 162 games, the Mets played the entire season without a consistent left hander coming out of the bullpen. That’s going to change in 2016.
Jon Niese did well working out of the ‘pen in the playoffs, but he’s likely to return to the rotation next year. Josh Edgin will be rehabbing from Tommy John for at least the first half of the season, and who knows how effective he’ll be when he returns.
Could the Mets bring back Jerry Blevins (pictured above)? Why not? He was great in a small sample size before missing the remainder of the season to injury, and shouldn’t cost much to re-sign. Low risk, high reward moves aren’t a bad gamble.
While the Mets will give Dario Alvarez and maybe AA flamethrower Josh Smoker a chance to make the club out of spring training, they need a proven commodity to get lefties out. The free agent market features Antonio Bastardo, Neal Cotts, Franklin Morales, and Tony Sipp as some of the top LHP on the relief market. The Mets should have plenty of room to add payroll in a much needed area.
Sandy Alderson hasn’t spent big on the ‘pen, but that should change after seeing his team dominated in a bullpen battle during the World Series.
