New York Mets 2020 Season in Review: Bullpen

Now that the New York Mets’ 2020 season is over, we are going to take a look at the year as a whole over the few weeks. We will break down the offense, starting pitching, relievers, coaching staff, declare a team MVP, and more. We continue today with a look at the Mets’ bullpen.

All Mets’ fans remember the fact that the team’s bullpen completely derailed the 2019 season. Even a mediocre performance out of the bullpen would have assured a postseason berth so fixing the group was a priority for GM Brodie Van Wagenen in the offseason. How did the Mets’ bullpen fare? Let’s take a look at the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Mets’ relief corps in 2020.

The Good

It was rocky at points, but Edwin Diaz had a much stronger performance in 2020. Diaz pitched to a 1.75 ERA, struck out 50 batters in 25.2 innings pitched, and finished the year with four saves in four September opportunities . . . Erasmo Ramirez was a late addition to the roster and proved to be a valuable long man, allowing only one earned run in 14.1 innings pitched . . . Chasen Shreve was a find for Van Wagenen, striking out 34 batters in 25 innings pitched . . . Justin Wilson finished the season strong, working to an ERA of 1.00 in September.

The Bad

Jeurys Familia struggled with his command, walking 19 batters in 26.2 innings pitched, and seemed to struggle with inherited runners . . . Miguel Castro had some issues in high leverage spots after coming over from Baltimore, suffering a pair of losses . . . Jared Hughes and Brad Brach wore down as the year progressed, partially as a result of being overworked when the Mets weren’t getting length out of their starters.

The Ugly

Dellin Betances’ velocity was off for most of the season and he had a hard time adjusting. The Mets also saw Betances land on the injured list for a bit . . . Drew Smith spent most of the year on the alternate site shuttle and the yo-yo-ing back and forth took a toll on his performance . . . Hunter Strickland wasn’t nearly as effective as the Mets hoped as a depth arm . . . Franklyn Kilome was inconsistent in bulk outings, a bad sign for a guy who is one of their top pitching prospects at the upper levels of the minor leagues.

Check back on Monday as our Season in Review series continues with a look at the Mets’ coaching staff!