AL East Notes: Jansen, Yankees, LeMahieu, Webb, Mountcastle
Kenley Jansen enjoyed ten straight years of playoff baseball before signing a two-year, $32MM free agent contract with the Red Sox during the 2022-23 offseason, and barring a late surge from Boston in the last two weeks of play, Jansen is now on pace for back-to-back without any postseason action. As he heads into free agency this winter, it therefore isn’t surprising that Jansen is “always gonna look for winning. Contending,” the closer told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. “That’s going to be my priority…I want to be in a situation where we can contend for a title. That’s it.” This doesn’t necessarily mean Jansen wouldn’t consider a return to the Sox, as Jansen praised the team’s young talent and said he “had a blast wearing this uniform, playing for these fans.”
Even as he approaches his 37th birthday, Jansen has no plans to retire, suggesting that he’d like to pitch “at least until I’m 40-42.” There isn’t much on-field evidence that Jansen is running out of steam, as he remains an effective late-game weapon with a 3.48 ERA in 51 2/3 innings and 26 saves in 30 chances for Boston in 2024. Jansen figures to get a lot of attention in free agency this winter, and Cotillo suggests that the Yankees could look at Jansen as a potential replacement for Clay Holmes. The Red Sox and Giants were the only teams publicly linked to Jansen’s market in his prior stint as a free agent, but Cotillo writes that New York “made a serious run at Jansen before he” joined the Red Sox.
More from around the AL East….
- Sticking with the Yankees, DJ LeMahieu discussed his hip impingement with The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, saying that he received a cortisone shot on Thursday to hopefully aid the healing process. LeMahieu hasn’t played since September 3 but he believes he’ll be able to return to New York’s lineup before the season is over. While players generally have a more optimistic view of their injuries, this does represent a more positive outlook than manager Aaron Boone‘s more non-committal answer earlier this week, when the skipper said “I wouldn’t necessarily rule it [a LeMahieu return] out, but I wouldn’t count on it, either.” In between this injury and the foot issue that cost him the first two months of action, LeMahieu has struggled to a .204/.269/.259 slash line over 228 plate appearances this season. Even if he is healthy enough to play, LeMahieu’s lack of production might well cost him a spot on New York’s playoff roster.
- Jacob Webb‘s activation from the Orioles‘ injured list could happen during the team’s current series with the Tigers, manager Brandon Hyde told MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and other reporters. Before a bout of elbow inflammation sent him to the 15-day IL on August 4, Webb was one of Baltimore’s more solid relievers, delivering a 3.08 ERA over 49 2/3 innings and 53 appearances out of the Orioles bullpen. Of the many players on the Orioles’ IL, Webb seems closest to returning, though Danny Coulombe is continuing a minor league rehab assignment and might not be far off. Jordan Westburg has resumed baseball activities and is hitting in a batting cage as he works his way back from a fractured hand.
- Ryan Mountcastle is still in the early stages of a hitting progression, but Hyde wasn’t sure if the Orioles first baseman will be back before the regular season is over. Mountcastle’s IL stint due to a sprained left wrist began on August 23, and he has hit .265/.305/.425 with 13 home runs in 485 PA. As Kubatko writes, the loss of Mountcastle’s steady production has been more glaring since first base replacement Ryan O’Hearn has been caught in an ugly slump.
Royals Place Chris Stratton On 15-Day Injured List
The Royals placed right-hander Chris Stratton on the 15-day injured list due to a right forearm flexor strain. Left-hander Angel Zerpa was called up from Triple-A Omaha in the corresponding move.
Only 16 days remain in the regular season, so between the calendar and the usually serious nature nature of forearm and flexor-related injuries, it seems likely that Stratton’s 2024 campaign is over. If the strain is mild, Stratton could conceivably return to action if the Royals make a deep playoff run, but the larger concern at this point could be whether or not the 34-year-old could be facing a surgical procedure that could threaten some (or all) of his 2025 season.
Stratton has allowed five runs over his last two appearances and two innings of work, but even if his injury factored into these rough outings, the righty has already been struggling in his first season in Kansas City. Stratton has a 5.55 ERA over 58 1/3 innings, along with a 17.1% strikeout rate and 12.8% walk rate that are both far below the league average. The K% and BB% rates are both career lows for Stratton over a full MLB season, while his ERA is only a touch better than the 5.57 ERA he posted with the Angels and Pirates in 2019.
The right-hander bounced back from that tough 2019 campaign with solid results and a full-time move to relief pitching over the next four years, posting a 3.91 ERA in 255 1/3 frames with the Pirates, Cardinals, and Rangers. That includes a 3.92 ERA and a career-best 7.4% walk rate in 82 2/3 innings with St. Louis and Texas last year, and four more innings in the playoffs as Stratton won a World Series ring on the Rangers’ championship squad.
That performance provided a platform for Stratton to land a two-year, $8MM free agent deal with the Royals this past winter. The deal is technically a one-year contract with a player option for 2025, as Stratton can choose to take either a $500K buyout or remain in the last year of the deal for a $4.5MM salary next season. Between his subpar performance and now this injury, Stratton seems like a lock to pass on his opt-out clause.
While Stratton wasn’t delivering much in the way of results, his absence will leave K.C. short of an innings-eating bullpen arm. Zerpa’s 4.40 ERA over 47 innings could provide a bit of a boost, but Stratton joins Will Smith (back spasms) and Hunter Harvey (mid-back tightness) on the list of injured Royals relievers. In Harvey’s case, MLB.com’s Anne Rogers writes that Harvey has started throwing but the team isn’t yet sure when or if the right-hander might able to return to action.
Mets Promote Luisangel Acuña
TODAY: The Mets officially announced Acuna’s call-up, and outfielder DJ Stewart was optioned to Triple-A to create space on the 28-man roster.
SEPT. 13: The Mets are planning to promote top prospect Luisangel Acuña, as confirmed by Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase (first reported by X user Jorge L. Seoud H.). Acuña is already on the 40-man, but the Mets will need to make a corresponding move to open a space for him on the active roster.
Acuña, 22, signed with the Rangers as an international free agent in 2018. He joined the Mets at last year’s trade deadline in the deal that sent Max Scherzer back to Texas. Entering the season, Keith Law of The Athletic ranked him as the No. 2 prospect in the Mets system. Kiley McDaniel of ESPN had him at No. 3, as did MLB Pipeline, while Baseball America ranked him at No. 4. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs wasn’t quite as high on Acuña but still ranked him as the No. 6 prospect in the system.
Unfortunately, Acuña has struggled at Triple-A in 2024, putting up a .654 OPS and 69 wRC+ in 131 games. On the bright side, he has 40 stolen bases and the skills to play plus defense at second base and center field. Still, there is no denying that he has been recalled due to the team’s desperation – not his own merit – given the lack of infield options on the Mets’ major league roster. With Jeff McNeil out for the rest of the regular season – and possibly the playoffs, too – Jose Iglesias has moved into the everyday lineup and Eddy Alvarez is the only infielder left on the bench. However, Alvarez joined the Mets organization after September 1, which means he won’t be eligible for the postseason roster. New York will need a new infielder for the bench once October rolls around.
On top of that, Francisco Lindor exited today’s game against the Phillies with back tightness. He’s day-to-day and isn’t particularly concerned about the injury (per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com), but it’s unclear when he’ll be back in the lineup. He told reporters after the game (including DiComo) that all he can do is wake up tomorrow, see how he feels, and go from there. Even if Lindor is only out for a game or two, it makes sense that the Mets would like to have another infielder on the active roster.
Twins Activate Carlos Correa From 10-Day Injured List
10:29AM: The Twins have officially announced the moves.
9:14AM: The Twins will activate shortstop Carlos Correa from the 10-day injured list prior to today’s game with the Reds. Outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. will be optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move.
It has been over two months since Correa last appeared in Minnesota’s lineup, as the three-time All-Star has been sidelined by plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Correa played through a similar injury in his left foot last season and (not coincidentally) struggled through the worst full season of his 10 years in the majors, so both the shortstop and the Twins seemed intent on letting Correa fully heal up before getting back to action.
Though Correa initially stated that this current injury wasn’t as painful as his 2023 plantar fasciitis, the discomfort has continued to linger until this past week, when Correa told MLB.com and other media that a new treatment method had allowed him to walk and run on his right heel. He took part in a live batting practice session on Friday and emerged feeling good enough that the Twins are now comfortable in making a roster move.
After his down year in 2023, Correa rebounded in a big way with one of his best seasons. The shortstop has 13 home runs and a .308/.377/.520 slash line over 317 plate appearances, and had been named to the All-Star team before his plantar fasciitis prevented him from taking part in the Midsummer Classic. Among all players with 300 or more PA, only 11 players have a higher wRC+ than Correa’s 152 mark.
Byron Buxton also has a 142 wRC+ in 339 PA this season, and the slugger was just activated off Minnesota’s IL on Thursday. Needless to say, the returns of Buxton and Correa are an enormous boost to a struggling Twins club that has lost 16 of its last 24 games. Minnesota still holds a 2.5-game lead over the Tigers for the last AL wild card slot, and the Twins could revive their chances at the AL Central title when they visit the first-place Guardians for a big four-game series that begins on Monday.
Max Kepler might be activated from the injured list for that series in Cleveland, as Kepler (out since September 5 due to patellar tendinitis in his left knee) joined Correa in the live BP session on Friday. Some reinforcements could also be coming later in early October on the pitching side, as Chris Paddack had a 20-pitch bullpen session on Friday as he recovers from a left forearm strain. It has also been two months on the shelf for Paddack, but he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Bobby Nightengale Jr. and other reporters that he is aiming to be ready for relief work during the postseason.
Red Sox Select Zach Penrod, Designate Tyler Heineman
The Red Sox announced five transactions this morning, including the news that left-hander Zach Penrod‘s contract has been selected to the big league roster. Catcher Tyler Heineman was designated for assignment to open up a spot on the 40-man roster, and left-hander Cam Booser and right-hander Zack Kelly were both optioned to Triple-A Worcester to create space on the active roster. Boston also called up southpaw Bailey Horn from Triple-A. Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe (X link) was the first to report on the Penrod, Booser, and Horn transactions, while MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo (via X) reported yesterday that Kelly was being optioned.
Kelly and Booser were two of six pitchers used by the Red Sox in Friday’s 5-4 loss to the Yankees, so today’s moves brings some fresh arms into Boston’s relief corps. For Penrod, he is now on the verge of his Major League debut, making quite a culmination of a six-year pro career that began as an undrafted free agent.
Penrod pitched briefly with the Rangers’ rookie league club in 2018 but he then spent two years on the sidelines due to both a Tommy John surgery and the canceled 2020 minor league season. The southpaw returned to pitch in the independent Pioneer League from 2021-23, and this performance caught the eye of Red Sox scouts and led to a minor league deal partway through the 2023 season. This year, Penrod has a 4.16 ERA over 62 2/3 combined innings at Double-A and Triple-A ball, as well as a huge 34.8% strikeout rate.
There is a pretty wide variance in those minor league numbers, as Penrod posted a 2.80 ERA in 35 1/3 Double-A innings and a much heftier 5.93 ERA in 27 1/3 frames in Worcester. Control has been a bit of a question mark for Penrod throughout his career, and his walk rate also spiked up to 16.1% in Triple-A after a more palatable 9.1% number in Double-A action.
Still, the strikeouts are playing at both levels, and Penrod’s upper-90s fastball makes him an interesting bullpen weapon for the Red Sox to explore. Penrod has mostly started throughout his pro career but worked out of the pen for 10 of his 15 appearances in Worcester, so Boston figures to use him in a long relief role here at the tail end of the 2024 season. As Alex Speier of the Boston Globe explored back in May, Penrod’s development of a slider as a third pitch after his fastball and changeup could help him carve out a path as a starter, but the 27-year-old is surely pleased to work in the majors in any capacity.
The Red Sox acquired Heineman in a trade with the Mets back in February, and he has spent almost the entire season in the minors save for two games at the MLB level. Connor Wong and Reese McGuire handled most of the catching duties for the Sox this season, and after Danny Jansen was acquired at the trade deadline, McGuire was outrighed to Triple-A and Heinemen was pushed even further down the depth chart.
With his two appearances in a Red Sox uniform, Heineman has now now suited up for five different teams at the big league level over his five seasons in the Show, and he has also been organizational depth for six other franchises. Heineman has hit .216/.297/.280 over 286 career plate appearances, with 174 of those PA coming as a member of the Pirates and Blue Jays in 2022. Because Heineman has been outrighted before, he has the ability to elect free agency and reject an outright assignment from Boston if he clears DFA waivers.
Tyler Glasnow Has Setback During Throwing Session
While warming up in advance of a simulated game on Friday, Tyler Glasnow felt “discomfort” in his right arm, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett and other reporters. Glasnow will undergo testing this weekend to see if any structural issues are present, and “I just know we’re going to re-assess and see how he feels over the coming days, see where we can pick up throwing again,” Roberts said.
Even in the best-case scenario of a clean MRI, there’s still plenty of uncertainty over what this setback means for Glasnow’s chances of a return. The regular season ends just over two weeks’ time, and while the Dodgers are a virtual lock to make the playoffs, it is far from a certainty whether or not Glasnow will be fully healthy and ramped up in time to join a postseason roster. The minor league season ends next weekend and it therefore seems unlikely Glasnow will be ready for a rehab assignment, so he’d have to rely on simulated games or other types of prep work that don’t involve a proper in-game setting.
Elbow tendinitis has kept Glasnow from pitching since August 11, cutting short a quality season that had seen the right-hander post a 3.49 ERA and an outstanding 32.2% strikeout rate over 134 innings. As Plunkett notes, 109 of those innings came before Glasnow was placed on the 15-day IL in early July due to lower back soreness, and the righty returned from that injury to make four starts before he was sidelined with his elbow issue.
Glasnow’s lengthy injury history is well-documented, and his 134 innings already represents a career high over his nine MLB seasons. In regards to his elbow specifically, Glasnow had a Tommy John surgery in 2021 that cost him almost all of his 2022 campaign with the Rays, save for two regular-season games and a playoff appearance. An oblique strain then delayed the start of his 2023 season by two months, but he otherwise stayed healthy and posted a 3.53 ERA in 120 innings for Tampa. This performance inspired the Dodgers to both acquire Glasnow in a major offseason trade, and also to sign him to a $136.5MM extension that runs through the 2028 season.
In the more immediate term, of course, Los Angeles faces the prospect of not having Glasnow available for his first postseason in Dodger Blue. Yesterday’s news is an unfortunate continuation of the pitching injuries that have hampered the Dodgers all season, as 17 different pitchers have made at least one start for the club in 2024.
At present, L.A.’s rotation consists of Jack Flaherty, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler, Bobby Miller, and Landon Knack. Beyond Glasnow, Roberts said Gavin Stone (on the IL since August 31 due to right shoulder inflammation) will start a throwing program this weekend but Stone’s timeline is still uncertain. Tony Gonsolin will make his second minor league rehab start on Sunday he works his way back from Tommy John surgery, though Roberts previously downplayed the chances of Gonsolin returning in time for regular-season work or any playoff availability. Clayton Kershaw is throwing off a portable mound but is still being bothered by the bone spur in his big left toe.
Given all of the question marks the Dodgers’ pitching staff faces as the postseason approaches, Roberts raised a bit of a stir in an interview on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM when he implied there was a slim possibility Shohei Ohtani could pitch in the playoffs. Ohtani underwent UCL surgery almost exactly one year ago and wasn’t expected to return to pitching until 2025, though he started to throw as part of his established rehab plan.
Roberts revisited the topic in speaking with Plunkett and company yesterday, noting that while “it’s not a zero percent chance” that Ohtani is available to pitch, “the odds of it coming to pass are very slim.” The Dodgers haven’t yet even talked with Ohtani about pitching in 2024, and Roberts noted that “the conversation would be, ‘put it out of your head.’ ” Obviously the club doesn’t want to do anything that will jeopardize Ohtani’s long-term pitching future, or even do anything that would impact his availability as a hitter for at least this year’s playoffs.
Red Sox Likely To Shut Liam Hendriks Down For The Season
TODAY: Hendriks will receive a cortisone shot on Monday and then resume throwing mid-week, he told the Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams. While he admitted his chances of pitching may hinge on how the Red Sox are faring in the playoff race, “the door’s not closed” on Hendriks appearing on the mound in 2024. “It’s normal to have a hiccup. It’s normal having to have little things like that, but it’s frustrating at how late it happened in the process,” Hendriks said.
SEPT 12: It seems Liam Hendriks’ debut with the Red Sox will wait until 2025. Manager Alex Cora said before tonight’s extra-inning loss in the Bronx that the Sox are “probably … going to shut him down” from throwing (link via Chris Cotillo of MassLive). Boston pulled the veteran reliever off his minor league rehab assignment last week when Hendriks reported arm discomfort.
The three-time All-Star has been working back from an August 2023 Tommy John surgery that ended his time with the White Sox. Cora indicated that Hendriks’ recent discomfort is on the outside of his forearm rather than in the elbow. An MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage and the team believes the issue is normal soreness related to his build-up after a long layoff.
While there doesn’t seem to be any long-term concern, the calendar doesn’t offer Hendriks time for even a minor setback. There are 17 days left in the regular season. Boston’s loss tonight dropped them 4.5 games back of the American League’s last Wild Card spot. It’s probably too risky to ask Hendriks to push through minor forearm discomfort to aid a long shot playoff chase.
Hendriks signed a two-year, $10MM free agent deal early in Spring Training. It’s a backloaded contract that follows the typical structure for a pitcher rehabbing a major arm surgery. Hendriks made $2MM this season and is set for a $6MM base salary next year. He’s guaranteed a $2MM buyout on a mutual option for 2026. The Aussie could unlock up to $10MM more via incentives next season depending on his innings and games finished totals.
The latter category would take on particular importance if Hendriks opens next season as Cora’s closer. He’d secure $1MM apiece for every fifth game finished between 45 and 65 contests. Hendriks led the American League with 38 saves for Chicago back in 2021. He saved another 37 games the next season. Hendriks would’ve filled a middle relief or setup role had he gotten back on the mound this year. The ninth inning could be there for the taking next spring.
Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin are concluding two-year deals signed when Chaim Bloom was chief baseball officer. Both pitchers have been effective, but the Sox could let them each walk in free agency. Boston reportedly tried to find a trade partner for Jansen both before Opening Day and at times in the season’s first half. It looks unlikely they’ll re-sign him. Martin seems to have a better chance of returning, but he has a lot less closing experience than Hendriks brings. Deadline acquisitions Lucas Sims and Luis García are also headed to the market.
First-year chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, a former reliever, has hit on a couple unheralded bullpen pickups. Rule 5 pick Justin Slaten has had an excellent rookie season and should be ticketed for high-leverage work. Greg Weissert, acquired in the Alex Verdugo deal, has been solid. There’ll surely be a few acquisitions in the offseason. Boston isn’t going to let each of Jansen, Martin, Sims and García walk without bringing in some kind of veteran help. The next few months should clarify whether Hendriks will go into 2025 as Boston’s closer.
In any case, he’ll certainly be in the late-inning mix if he stays healthy. Hendriks getting back to peak form would be a fantastic story not only for Boston but for baseball as a whole. Last year’s surgery interrupted a triumphant return to the mound after Hendriks beat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The ’25 season could be his opportunity to reemerge as one of the game’s best relievers.
Mets Outright Pablo Reyes
Pablo Reyes has cleared waivers and been seen outright to Triple-A Syracuse, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. The Mets designated Reyes for assignment earlier this week after acquiring Eddy Alvarez from the Red Sox.
This marks the fourth time Reyes has been outrighted in his career, so he has the choice to reject the assignment in favor of free agency. However, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports that Reyes “remains in the organization” following his DFA, which seems to suggest the veteran infielder has accepted the assignment. That would make sense, considering the fact that Reyes will be eligible to play for the Mets in October if they make the postseason. Reyes was a member of the team before the September 1 deadline for postseason eligibility, and as Tim Healey of Newsday Sports points out, he never left the organization. As long as the Mets add him back to the 40-man, they can put him on any potential playoff rosters.
Alvarez, on the other hand, joined the team after the deadline, so he will not be eligible for postseason play. That could clear a path for Reyes to rejoin the club in October. Meanwhile, if Reyes were to elect free agency and latch on elsewhere, he would not be eligible to join his new team in the playoffs.
Reyes, 31, played just one game for New York this season before his DFA, coming in as a pinch-runner for J.D. Martinez on September 1. Prior to joining the Mets, he appeared in 233 games with the Pirates, Brewers, and Red Sox from 2018-24. He has a pitiful .248/.309/.349 career slash line with eight home runs and a 78 wRC+. With offensive numbers like that, his value comes from the fact that he can play capable defense all around the diamond. Given the Mets’ limited infield depth following Jeff McNeil‘s wrist injury, it’s not impossible to imagine Reyes making his way onto the team’s postseason roster should they hold onto an NL Wild Card berth. However, the news that the Mets are promoting top prospect Luisangel Acuña doesn’t exactly bode well for Reyes’s chances.
Matt McLain Likely Done For 2024 Season
It’s highly unlikely that Matt McLain will play again in 2024. The Reds infielder has been on the injured all season after undergoing shoulder surgery in March. He was initially targeting a return sometime in August, but a rib cage stress reaction he suffered about six weeks ago turned out to be a major setback in his rehab.
Still, until recently, the Reds had been holding out hope he could return before the end of the year. Just last week, manager David Bell told members of the media (including Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that McLain was “pain-free” and on his way back to “baseball activities.” Today, however, Bell admitted that it isn’t realistic to expect McLain to return this season, telling reporters (including Mark Sheldon of MLB.com): “It’s probably not going to happen.”
McLain, 25, finished fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting last season after he hit .290/.357/.507 with 23 doubles, 16 home runs, and 14 stolen bases in 89 contests. He also put up 2 OAA and 4 DRS while splitting his time between shortstop and second base. Looking like a legitimate five-tool talent, McLain finished with 3.1 FanGraphs WAR in just over half a season’s worth of games. Hopefully, Cincinnati will finally be able to see what he can do over a full season in 2025.
The Reds entered the 2024 campaign with a glut of talented young hitters, but many of those players have struggled this season for one reason or another. Spencer Steer and Will Benson have each taken a big step back at the plate after their breakout performances in 2023. Noelvi Marte has been a disaster since his return from an 80-game PED suspension earlier this year. Christian Encarnacion-Strand was slumping badly before he underwent surgery on his wrist in May. He has not played since. McLain was the most exciting of all those names in 2023, and his lost 2024 season has been, perhaps, the most disappointing.
Indeed, the word “disappointing” pretty much sums up the Reds in 2024. A year after finishing third in the NL Central and two games back of the final Wild Card spot, they currently sit fourth in their division and 10.5 games back of a postseason berth. They’re on pace to finish 78-84, four games worse than their record in 2023. Their pitching staff ranks 16th with a 4.06 ERA, while their offense ranks 26th with an 89 wRC+. They also rank 26th with a -23 fielding run value, per Baseball Savant.
McLain was hoping to get back on the field before the end of the season. Surely, the Reds would have loved to have his bat and glove back on the roster. However, at this point in the year, it’s not hard to understand why he and the team are putting their efforts toward a stronger and healthier 2025 instead.
Dedniel Núñez Out For Season With Flexor Injury
Mets reliever Dedniel Núñez will miss the remainder of the 2024 season with a flexor injury, manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). The right-hander received a platelet-rich plasma injection today as he seeks to avoid surgery, but he will not have time to make it back to the field in 2024.
Until recently, the Mets had been optimistic they would have Núñez back before the end of the regular season. Earlier this month, DiComo reported that Núñez would be able to “ramp up quickly” once he got back on a mound, and the Mets weren’t even planning to send him for more tests. Just last Monday, Tim Britton of The Athletic wrote that Núñez had “felt better of late” and suggested the Mets were hopeful he could begin a throwing program shortly. Needless to say, that is no longer the case.
Núñez, 28, was enjoying a phenomenal debut season in Queens. From his MLB debut on April 9 to his final appearance on August 24, he threw 35 innings with a 2.31 ERA and 2.13 SIERA. He started as an up-and-down, low-leverage reliever but quickly became one of Mendoza’s most trusted arms. Unfortunately, the righty landed on the IL at the end of July with a pronator strain, and after making his way back for one appearance at the end of August, his forearm troubles came back. The team has not offered a timeline for his return this time, but hopefully, if he can stay off the surgical table, he’ll be ready to go next spring.
Thankfully for the Mets, their relief corps remains a strength, even in Núñez’s absence. Since the trade deadline, the Mets rank eighth in baseball with a 3.28 bullpen ERA. Edwin Díaz, Reed Garrett, Phil Maton, and Danny Young all have ERAs under 3.00 in that time. José Buttó hasn’t been quite as sharp as of late, but he has a 2.70 ERA on the year. Meanwhile, veteran Adam Ottavino has strong underlying numbers in his 14th big league campaign; his 3.18 SIERA is more than a full run better than his 4.29 ERA this season. The Mets have won eight of their last 10 and 19 of their last 30 games, but they’ll still need every advantage they can get as they try to hold off the Braves in the Wild Card race. An effective bullpen will be critical down the stretch and potentially into October.