The New York Mets focused on improving their bullpen at the MLB trade deadline. General Manager David Stearns made a total of four acquisitions to bolster the Mets bullpen. The team added Huascar Brazoban and Tyler Zuber on deadline day, in addition to Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton acquired earlier. Stearns emphasized the importance of quantity and quality when it comes to bullpen performance, acknowledging that bullpen needs can evolve throughout the season, and the team has to be responsive to those changes. The Mets made deals to acquire Brazoban from Miami and Zuber from Tampa, both of whom have team control beyond the current season.
Brazoban, the bigger acquisition of the two, brings his impressive performance from Miami to New York. The 34-year-old righty has a 2.93 ERA in his third year in the majors and has shown impressive advanced metrics. With his fastball averaging 95.7 mph, Brazoban regularly induces soft contact with a high ground-ball rate and a low barrel rate. He has the ability to pitch multiple innings and fill various roles in the bullpen, providing flexibility to the team’s roster post-deadline. On the other hand, Zuber, a Long Island Duck earlier in the year, is a more speculative addition, given his limited major league experience this season.
Stearns mentioned that the Mets have not yet decided on the final roster construction post-deadline, but he believes that Brazoban’s unique pitch mix and roster flexibility will be beneficial for the team. Zuber, despite missing significant time due to shoulder impingement syndrome, has made various adjustments to his pitch shapes and usage, making him a potential asset for the team down the stretch. With all four new bullpen additions being right-handed pitchers, the Mets are relying on their three lefty relievers, Matt Gage, Alex Young, and Danny Young, to provide balance and depth in the bullpen moving forward.
Overall, the Mets made significant upgrades to their bullpen ahead of the trade deadline, prioritizing quality and depth in their pitching staff. Stearns emphasized the importance of continually adapting to the changing needs of the bullpen over the course of the season. The acquisitions of Brazoban and Zuber add both short-term and long-term value to the team, with the potential to make a significant impact in the team’s performance down the stretch of the season. The Mets are confident that their strengthened bullpen will help them compete at a high level and make a push for the playoffs in the remaining games of the season.
