LHP Jerry Blevins and RHP Fernando Salas
Blevins’ 2016 Season stats – 42.0 IP, 2 SV, 2.79 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 15 BB/52 K
Salas’ 2016 Season stats – 73.2 IP, 6 SV, 3.91 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 19 BB/64 K
If anyone saw the final month of the 2016 season, it’s impossible not to realize the monumentally large impact that this duo had on the Mets making the postseason.Jerry Blevins made a triumphant return in 2016 after twice breaking his arm in 2015, leading to just five innings tossed that year.
He broke the norm though, allowing a .255 average against southpaws and only a stingy .182 against right-handed batters. But look back to Blevins’ last full season in 2014 and he held lefties to a .160 average, making 2016 a sort of anomaly.
Money is the issue with the 6-foot-6 lefty, as he is looking for a multi-year deal. Alderson has been publicly adamant about not wanting to give such deals to relief arms due to their high turnover rate, but Blevins is about as consistent as they come.
Fernando Salas was brought over in a post-trade deadline swap with the LA Angels, posting a 4.47 ERA in 56.1 innings for Anaheim before the deal. But in 17.1 innings thrown for the Mets leading to the Wild Card, he worked a 2.08 ERA and an invisible 0.63 WHIP.
Salas won’t blow anyone away with his stuff, as he relies on pitch placement and solid movement to do the trick – and it’s worked well so far. He has a career 3.64 ERA and has struck out nearly a batter an inning, something valuable in today’s relief game.
