There’s a lot of blame to go around for the Mets 2022 ending, and I’m still very, very angry. Therefore, we’re going to grade how the Mets’ roster did this season. I will admit, I’m being bias toward the end of the year, but the grades are based on the entirety of the year. As a wise man once said – you play to win the game.

Thanks Herm. Glad to see you have enough time for this guest spot.

Unlike in school, grades are based on expectations. Certain players were brought in to help win a title. If they didn’t step up when it mattered most, that’ll hurt their ultimate score. Also, I don’t care if New York newspapers already did this a week ago. I need closure damn it.

Finally, before we begin, I want to be clear. This is strictly ratings on the field. I don’t know any of these guys personally, and I have absolutely nothing against them as men. I sure as hell won’t be tweeting at them. But if the Edwardo Perez, David Cone and Karl Ravich are allowed to call games, I can critique and complain about my favorite team.

Offense

Brandon Nimmo – B

For years, I believed that Nimmo was the Mets’ most important offensive player. His unique skills as a OBP machine led to a natural leadoff spot. In 2022, he wasn’t quite as good offensively. Most of his slash lines were down from what we’d expect, and his power waned. Nimmo certainly wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t the contract year you’d hope for. A .367 OBP is good, but when he’s topped .400 in pasts seasons, it’s a dip. A B might be unfair, but he seemed to disappear for parts of the season.

However, while his offense took a bit of a dip, his defense increased significantly. Nimmo doesn’t have a great arm, but he covers a lot of ground and made one of the most spectacular catches of the year against the Dodgers. Even bigger for him, he stayed healthy all year, playing a career high 151 games. That’ll help a player looking for a contract year.

Nimmo is one of the bigger free agents this year, and I expect he’ll be looking for something in the realm of 5 years, $100 million. I’m honestly not sure who’s paying that, since Nimmo’s skills don’t always pop off the page. I’m in favor of bringing him back, but I also want to see a little more power, a little more on base percentage, and maybe even a stolen base here or there. He’s a borderline All-star when he’s going right. Unless the Mets have big plans offensively, Nimmo is a priority to bring back.

Starling Marte – A

The only thing else we could have asked out of Marte was to dodge getting hit in the finger. After a slow April, Marte emerged as the Mets most consistent player, hitting around .300, providing more power than I’d expect, and one of the few Mets who could hit lefties. He also had a handful of walk off hits and fits the 2 hole perfectly.

He also moved over to Right Field instead of Center for the first time of his career and didn’t miss a beat. Marte played a very good outfield, and his arm definitely fits the position. In theory, Right Field will be easier on him as he enters his age 35 season, but he seemed banged up even before the finger injury.

That’s my one concern – injuries due to age. The Mets aren’t exactly young and spry, but Marte’s bat speed shouldn’t fail him, and I’d imagine he’ll be fine in Left at the end of his tenure if needed. Just stay healthy Starling, and your contract is worth it.

Francisco Lindor – B+

In some ways, this grade seems unfair, because Lindor had a great year. In my opinion, he silenced the critics with an all-around impressive season, and finished top 10 in overall FWAR. I’m not sure what that means, but the players around him where all very good, so it means Lindor himself is good. Well, isn’t that nice?

The issue with Francisco in 2022 was he was Katy Perry – Hot and then Cold. When Lindor was hot, he completely carried the team, and the players fed off it. Look at when the 2022 Mets were at their best, and Lindor is in the middle of everything. However, when he was cold, it was brutal. Cold Lindor never makes a loud out – it’s all pop ups, weak grounders, and bad looking strikeouts. Cold Lindor came out more than I’d like, even though I’m totally fine with his overall numbers. Maybe he should rest more and not play 161 games. Why didn’t the Mets have a backup SS?

He was also a mixed bag in the clutch, which I swear is tough to quantify despite stats existing for it. Lindor definitely came up big for the team a bunch of times this year, but when he didn’t, it always felt like an empty at bat. It’s probably not fair, but if you’re making $341 million, the grading curb shifts. It’s one thing to fail in a clutch situation, it’s another to pop out to an infielder. Lindor did that too much.

Fortunately, no matter how his bat went, Lindor’s defense remained superb. While I agree he’s a star, I think his miscast as the team’s 3 hitter. I’d like to see him bat 5^th, where he can protect Pete and drive in runners ahead of him. Lindor’s value isn’t as an average hitter anymore – he’s a plus power hitting shortstop who drives runs and plays excellent defense. With some harder contact next year, I think he’ll see that truly elite season. Watch Lindor’s 2022 homers – none of them are cheap.

Pete Alonso – A-

I really didn’t know how to grade Pete. A- doesn’t feel right but going below fails to explain how much he carried the team for 3 months. In the first half of the year, Pete was locked in. He was a true MVP candidate and the team’s one consistent power source. He went the other way to drive in runs but could pull a gigantic home run when he got a pitch to drive.

Unfortunately, he also had some bad slumps in the second half when the offense was cold. Despite setting a team record for RBIs, he struggled increasing that total for weeks in August. He also continued to show a weakness to low and away breaking pitches. You could call them out from home and see Alonso’s frustrating strikeout out. I didn’t love his body language when the team struggled in September. This matters when you’re the Defacto captain of the team.

Pete’s defense is also awkward, but the man does try. I know he gives a shit, which matters considering some past Mets. Pete is a very good to great hitter, but he can’t be the team’s only source of power. Ideally, he’s the teams second best hitter, sandwiched by another real offensive threat and Lindor. Without that, the offense isn’t quite good enough, although that’s not Pete’s fault. Pete’s problem is he presses when he struggles instead of taking walks. But maybe that’s a product of the lineup after him.

Jeff McNeil – A+

I don’t care what metric you’re using; Jeff McNeil was the Mets best offensive player in 2022 and there’s only one other player with an argument for a better season. In 2021, he fought Lindor in the tunnel and had his worst season. In 2022, he’s won a batting title, and Lindor has to buy him a car. As much as this ending sucked, I loved to see McNeil back to his old form. Shame on the fanbase for wanting to trade him.

If there’s any knock-on McNeil, it’s that his power disappeared in 2022. Personally, I don’t care about that, but it shows how important adding power is in the off season. McNeil is a classic 2 hitter with no chance to bat there with the current roster construction. If Nimmo isn’t re-signed, I imagine the Mets go Marte and McNeil at the top of the order. He hits for a high average, rarely strikes out, and has clutch hits on the resume. Trying to hit for power led to the bad 2021, so let’s not mess with that again.

By the way, have you seen the bat he’s using? It doesn’t even make sense. It’s way too long and McNeil chokes up about 1/3^rd of the way. Who’s manufacturing these?

McNeil also played great defense this year, both at 2^nd and in the outfield. His versatility opens up playing time for others and gives them flexibility in the offseason. He’s a true pure hitter and the Mets should think about extending him now.

Eduardo Escobar – B-

This grade is definitely tilted toward the end of the year, because before September, Escobar was probably a D or D-. Going into the year, Escobar was supposed to be a power source but struggled mightily in the first half. He was hitting close to .200 and the power was not there. He basically lost his job against right-handed pitchers to Luis Guillorme until injuries shuffled things around.

After missing some of August, Escobar returned from injury quickly when Brett Baty got hurt and went on a September tear. He carried the Mets in September, and still hit in the bottom third of the order until the very end of the year. Escobar was second in the National League in RBIs (only to Alonso) and everything he hit was crushed. He rebounded to hit 20 homers, less than I hoped, but way more than his first half pace.

Still, the first five months matter. Maybe the Mets were still playing baseball, Escobar’s impact would continue, and this grade would rise. Alas, he’s getting a cushy B- because without him, we’re not in a series with the Braves for the division. Granted that series was a god damn disaster, but it wasn’t on Escobar. He also played a pretty solid defended, though next year, I think he’ll be more a platoon/DH at Baty takes over the job.

Mark Cahna – C-

For two weeks during the year, Mark Cahna was on absolute fire. He won a game against the Phillies in dramatic fashion and put the team on his back. After these two weeks, Cahna must have injured his back, because I’m not sure he hit .100 in September.

Cahna was brought in for his OBP skills and moderate power. I think he was basically a Michael Conforto replacement. Both players have similar skills, but Cahna wasn’t as well known. In theory, this was fine, but in practice, it just didn’t work. Cahna drew plenty of walks, but didn’t hit for much power, and really struggled down the stretch. When your best bet to get on is a walk or getting hit by the baseball, it’s not ideal.

Next year, I think Cahna should be in a platoon, but honestly, he wasn’t great against lefties either. It could have been an off year, but I think the team needs an offensive upgrade here. Cahna as a fourth OF sounds a lot better than a guy who needs to produce for the team to be good. Then again, if he beats the Phillies on his own every year, we can keep him around.

Daniel Vogelbach – D+

Look, I want to love this guy. He seems like a ton of fun and when he’s going right, he’s got a ton of power. The issue is Vogelbach is a flawed player, and that’s why the Mets acquired him for nothing.

Vogelbach is a platoon DH. He cannot hit against a lefty, as it’s an automatic out, but his numbers against righties are fantastic. With the right player to pair with him against lefties, this can make for a potent DH. However, doing this shortens the bench significantly, especially when Vogelbach can’t really play the field without benching Pete.

The other, big issue with Vogelbach’s game is he is far too patient. Vogelbach takes until he gets two strikes nearly every at bat, and doesn’t seem interested in attacking, which is odd for a DH. It led to a lot of bad strikeouts. While he drew a ton of walks, Vogelbach isn’t exactly a speed demon. He kind of clogs the bases up, and only scores on homers or doubles when on second. If you’re getting on base a lot, you have to be valuable.

What’s more frustrating is Vogelbach clearly has power, and even when he somewhat connects with a ball, it’s crushed. You’d think he’d want to swing more, but he just doesn’t. I like him as a bench bat or Pinch hitter, but the Mets need to upgrade at DH. The entire offense doesn’t need work counts – at some point, they need to cash in. The DH’s jot is to hit, not try to draw three walks a game.

James McCann – F-

I believe two years ago, I said on this site that I wanted McCann, and his defense made sense for the team over JT Realmuto and his contract. This, as always, proves how stupid I am.

McCann was one of the worst hitters in the major leagues. Outside of a brief stretch in September, he didn’t contribute much at all. McCann at bats felt like the pitcher batting in year’s past. But I mean, deGrom could hit at least. I never expected plus offensive numbers, but we can’t have an auto out behind the plate unless his defense and game calling is superb.

Even McCann’s strengths didn’t shine this year. McCann really only gelled with Chris Bassitt and lost his starting job to Tomas Nido toward the end of the year. He had some defensive gaffes, though I’m sure his struggles at the plate contributed. Obviously, McCann’s days are numbers. Francisco Alvarez is coming, but I don’t think it’ll be early in 2023. Hopefully he finds his bat, but it’s not looking good. Just a bad, bad year

Tomas Nido – D+

Mets fans seemed to really get behind Nido and push him for more playing time. Nido did have some clutch RBIs and definitely played well defensively. However, a lot of this is relative. Nido was significantly below average in nearly all offensive categories. He hit 3 homers all year, and those came toward the end of the year.

And honestly, with how bad McCann was, how didn’t Nido claim the starting job sooner? That doesn’t seem like a good sign to me. I think over the past few years, we’ve seen enough for Nido to know what he is. He can be a backup catcher, but you can’t have both him and McCann. I definitely prefer Nido because he provides something, but it’s not great. He also just doesn’t have enough power. There were a few swings where he got everything, and it didn’t reach the warning track. That’s not ideal.

Luis Guillorme – B

If I did mid-season grades, Guillorme would have been an A. Early in the year, he did everything the Mets could hope for. He was on fire offensively and filled in defensively at 2^nd and 3^rd.For a while, everyone wanted him in the lineup over Escobar. Then, a groin injury derailed his season.

However, I think we have to look at this objectively. Even before the injury, Guillorme’s bat cooled off. He contributed with the glove, but he wasn’t much of a threat. He’s never going to be a power hitter, and he’s true value is as a utility man.

Also, yes, he got hurt, but that doesn’t excuse his play when he returned. Guillorme didn’t hit at all in September, and his playing time dipped as it became clear he wasn’t an offensive threat. This is a good role player, and he can fill in and start in bursts, but I don’t think he should be starting 6 games a week. Still, his early contributions were valuable, leading to a solid B.

Tyler Naquin – D

Outside of a bit two homerun game against the Braves, Naquin didn’t provide much. There was a lot of empty, three pitch strikeouts, and it’s tough to find playing time for him when everyone is healthy. Naquin was destined to platoon with Cahna, but he never earned as many at bats as I’ve have thought, even considering Marte’s injury. He’s an ok depth piece, but Naquin was an example of not pushing hard enough at the trade deadline.

Terrance Gore – A+

Gore is one of my favorite players, because every year he joins a contender in September to only steal bases. Gore can’t really hit, and only comes in to run and maybe play defense. He’s a true one trick pony.

But oh man, one a one trick it is. Gore steals bases at will and should pretty much score whenever he enters a game. The only reason he didn’t was due to Mets incompetence with runners in scoring position with less than 2 outs. Gore even had a hit this year, his first in 3 years. In between hits, he won two titles. Sadly, he didn’t make it 3 this time, through no fault of his own. He deserves an A+ because he did his job exactly as requested.

Brett Baty – Imcomplete (Injury)

In Brett Baty’s first career at bat he hit a home run against Atlanta on the road. Honestly, that deserves an A+ on its own.

Baty had a small sample of at bats before getting hurt, so I can’t give a review. Ideally, he would have been called up in July, or not till 2023, but his call was out of emergency, so I get it. I won’t talk much about Baty, but let’s just say when I can stomach baseball again in 2023, there will be a hype post about him that’s shameless.

Francisco Alvarez – Incomplete (Organization Failed Him)

Imagine having the #1 prospect in baseball and choosing to call him up with 6 games left in the season. Now, imagine the first three of those games are to determine the pennant.

The Mets, in my opinion, completely mishandled Alvarez. Either commit him to the DH for July on and try to win or keep him in the minors until 2023. There’s a chance you catch lightning in a bottle, but the odds are minimal, especially given the gravity of his at bats. He also had less than 20 turns up, so there’s no possible way to grade. He did hit his first homerun against the Nationals, so that’s a positive.

Honestly, the only one getting a grade here is the fans who turned on Alvarez because he didn’t hit a 6-run homer against the Braves. You people serious? He was the youngest player in triple A. He shouldn’t have been debuting against the Braves. Those who turned on Alvarez, even out of frustration get an L, you loser assholes

Mark Vientos – Incomplete (Organization Failed Him)

Somehow, the Mets may have handled Vientos worse than Alvarez.

Vientos tore the minor leagues apart and was ready to be, at least, the primary DH against lefties. The Mets instead let him toil until they called him up, then played him sporadically. Instead of letting a young, potential slugger, you know, slug, they sat him on the bench. Great job. We can’t even judge Vientos because the Mets didn’t give him a chance.

With all three of these guys, you either play them every day or wait. Baty is a bit of an exception since the Mets had no 3^rd basemen healthy. Alvarez and Vientos were handled terribly. It was Wilpon esque. Hopefully, all 3 of these players rake in the majors next year.

Well, that should be everyone who played a role for the Mets..,. Yep, definitely nobody else…

Fine.

Daren Ruf – Friggin Q

I understood trading JD Davis. He struggled on the Mets, and it wasn’t working out here. I also understand why the Mets wanted Darren Ruf. He’s a lefty killer with a long resume, and on paper, paired well with Daniel Vogelbach without costing a lot of trade pieces. My only question is WHY THE HELL DID WE TRADE DAVIS AND 3 OTHER PLAYERS FOR DARREN FRIGGING RUF?

Even in a vacuum this made no sense, but the results hurt much more. Ruf managed 10 hits with the Mets, including 3 doubles. After a hot start from the trade deadline, he was virtual dead weight. Instead of making any moves or call ups, the Mets waited and waited. When they finally acted, and called up Mark Vientos, it was too late. The Ruf stink was there. As bad as McCann and Nido were, at least they were catching. Ref’s job was to literally hit and did nothing of the sort.

To pour salt on the wound, JD Davis was great down the stretch. While I don’t think that happens in New York, that version of Davis might have won the Mets the division. Instead, we got Darren Ruf. Jason Bay and Jay Bruce mock Ruf’s Mets stats. Can’t wait till he pinch hits in a big spot next year.

As a matter of fact, I’m lowering his grade to a T in advance.

Starting Pitching

Jacob deGrom – B

This is one of the hardest grades to give because I still believe deGrom at his best is the best pitcher in baseball. The problem was, we rarely saw him at his best.

We have to knock him for missing 4 months of the year. Going into 2022, I didn’t believe any of the injury prone labels he received, but now, it has to be on everyone’s mind. He still has impeccable control, and his August was the deGrom we’re used to.

Then September rolled around, and deGrom seemed human. He got hit more than usual, and homers became an issue. While people site bad starts against the Cubs and Pirates,I think those were ok. The real issue was against the A’s where deGrom was straight up bad. His final start against Atlanta wasn’t good (3 solo homeruns), but he wasn’t necessarily bad. In the postseason, he was strong for 6 innings against a top-heavy Padres team who’s 8 hitter wrecked us, because of course.

I still think deGrom is an elite pitcher. He rarely walked anyone and strikes out a ton of batters. The red flags are the hard contact, and his stamina. DeGrom is really a 6-inning pitcher. Maybe it was a result of missing so much time, but maybe it’s part of the toll of the injuries.

He’s going to command massive contract in the offseason, and I’m torn. I can’t imagine deGrom in another uniform, so I hope he’s back. But I’d be lying if this isn’t the most human he’s looked since 2017. If I have to pick, I’d want him back on a deal similar to Scherzer but made up incentives. If deGrom makes his starts, he’ll easily earn these incentives and get paid. The issue is all it takes is one team to overbid. DeGrom’s decision will change the course of the franchise. I think they’ll be competitive either way, but an ace level deGrom is the only way they will return as a title contender.

Max Scherzer – C (A- before October 1^st)

Woof, what a twist. Up until the Atlanta series, Scherzer was as money as anyone starter in baseball. In fact, statistically, 2022 was one of Max’s best years. He carries himself like an ace, continued to have great command, and definitely stepped up as a clubhouse leader. He’s 38, but age wasn’t a factor… well, until it was.

I don’t think Scherzer is washed by any means, but he hit the injured list twice for the same injury. Now, obliques are tricky and fluky, but it’s a red flag regardless. Then, we have to discuss his last two starts.

Scherzer had nothing against the Braves and the Padres. He gave up hard contact throughout both games, and homers did him in. Scherzer was always susceptible to homers, but this was different. And honestly, the Padres start reminded me way too much of Glavine. For how good he was prior to October, I assume Scherzer was hurt. Still, if you’re on the field, injuries aren’t an excuse. The Mets paid Scherzer to pitch in big games, which he certainly did. It was just really shitty outings.

I’d be shocked if he wasn’t elite next year, but there are warning signs this is the beginning on the end.

Chris Bassitt – C (A Before October 2^nd)

Somehow, the end of Bassitt’s season feels worse than Scherzer to me. At least Scherzer’s can be traced to the oblique.

While deGrom and Scherzer missed time, Bassitt made nearly every start, other than missing time with Covid. He was always solid, and typically pitched deeper into games. Bassitt was hittable for a front-line starter, but he’s the #3. That’s expected. What stood out was his bulldog nature. He infamously said he’ll come after anybody after his start start against the Nationals, who still had Soto at the time.

Everything seemed fine until the Braves series. Honestly, I had confidence in him in both of his big starts. But something changed. The command he previous had was gone. Instead of attacking hitters, he nibbled. In both games, he failed to reach the 5^th inning, a true disappointment after the season he had. It’s probably not fair to give Bassitt a C, but the end of the year was so sour, I have to.

Bassitt will also likely be a free agent, unless he accepts a one-year deal well under market value. Despite the Mets need for pitching, I expect Bassitt to walk. He had some odd quotes about New York right before the playoffs which makes me think he’ll be gone. I wouldn’t be against him coming back, but I’d be surprised. This is a good pitcher, but not every free agent can return. Bassitt is the odd man out, even before bad ending to his year.

Carlos Carrasco – C+

It was definitely a bounce back year for Carrasco, who struggled getting out of the 1^st inning in 2021, but it didn’t end great. Hmm, starting to feel like it’s a theme.

Despite 15 wins, Carrasco struggled getting to the 5^th inning in September. He began to get hit hard, and I’m pretty sure he ran out of gas. Carrasco is getting older and has been through a lot, so I’m not looking to bash him. He’s still a solid back end of the rotation option. However, the hope Carrasco could be a surprise ace is gone. Consider him a 5^th starter with upside, and we’ll be ok.

Taiwan Walker – B

Walker gets a lot of hate from the fanbase, but he’s been spectacular in the first half both years. In the second half, there’s definitely been a drop off, but it didn’t seem as drastic as the year before. Walker makes sense as a high upside back-end rotation piece, but you have to accept that some starts, especially in the second half will not go well. He also can lose his command, and that becomes more common place later in the year.

I think it’s a stamina thing. Walker spent most of his career being injured. In 2021, he went well over his previous year’s innings, and hit a wall. In 2022, he still hit a wall, though it wasn’t a complete disaster. Maybe he’s really a 120-inning guy, but there’s a chance he might have just needed a time to ramp up.

Walker is a free agent, and I have a feeling that he’ll be gone as well, unless he’s willing to take a team discount. Reports indicate the Mets don’t have Walker as a priority, and he’s been great in the first half two consecutive years. Somebody will make him an offer the Mets probably can’t match.

Tylor Megill – Incomplete

In April, Megill looked great. He filled in for deGrom as the Opening Day starter and pitched great. But, after only a few starts he got hurt, missed time, and his whole season derailed. This is two years in a row when injuries ruined Megill’s season. I believe he’s got talent, but another inquiry riddled season ruins my hope.

Also, as reliever, Megill gets a fat F. I admire his willingness to give it a shot. It also could have solved the team’s biggest weakness. But man, he struggled out of the bullpen. I thought his stuff would play up in relief, but he’s built to be a starter… maybe. Or maybe he needs time to adjust to a different role. I hope Megill can rebound, but he’s a big question mark.

David Peterson – C+

At times, Peterson looked like he bounced back from a rough 2021 and be a key contributor. At other times, he walked early everyone and looked completely overmatched. I’m not sure what Peterson is, but there’s a good chance he’s part of the rotation next year, and that’s not good.

The biggest flaw in Peterson’s game is he tries to clip the strike zone as he doesn’t have overpowering stuff. Unfortunately, his control can be even worse. Bad innings snowball for him, just like Steven Matz before him. Peterson is at his best when he challenges hitters. Sure, sometimes he’ll get hit, but it’s better than the alternative. I don’t think the upside is there, and that showed after a hot start to the year.

Nevertheless, without that hot start, the Mets don’t win 101 games, so it’s not all bad. At least as a starter. Peterson will get some chances as the team’s only starting Lefty, but he should not return to the pen. Just like Megill, the results weren’t great. As a number 5 starter, I suppose you can do worse, but I’d prefer if he was a depth option.

Trevor Williams – A

Williams was a thrown in for the troubling Javy Baez trade, but boy did he prove invaluable. Unlike other pitchers on the list, Williams thrived as both a reliever and starter. He filled in whenever the Mets needed him, and really only had one or two bad outings. Was Williams one of the most talent pitchers on the roster? No, not really. But he sure rose to the occasion, and I sure hope he comes back.

The one downside on Williams is I don’t think he was used enough. I think he should have been used to follow up Carrasco for a few innings when he began to falter. This would have helped keep the pen fresh and probably kept the Mets in more games. Williams could have solved some of the Mets bullpen woes, but maybe this would have hurt his effectiveness. I didn’t think Trevor Williams would have the best grade of the starting pitchers, but here we are. Sure glad the season ended this way.

Bullpen

Edwin Diaz – A+

Nobody leveled up quite like Diaz in 2022. After having one of, if not the worst closer season, Diaz rebounded to be a solid closer and evolved to the game’s best. He struck out nearly half of the batters faced, and routinely made good hitters look like Single A reserves. Diaz’s rise came mirroring peak deGrom’s pitch offerings – a 100+ fastball, and a 90+ slider with insane movement.

He wasn’t just a shutdown closer though. Diaz was willing to pitch in the 8^th if it meant facing the heart of the order. Occasionally it led to two inning saves, but sometimes he concedes the 9^th to another pitcher. Some pitchers wouldn’t accept this, but Diaz was team first. Sounds small, but it’s a huge boost to the team.

Also, his entrance music made baseball cool, for like 15 minutes. Honestly, I think the added production made it a bit much, but it was fun. Hopefully, Diaz doesn’t take this team to another team, but it’s tough to relievers to repeat a truly dominant season. Diaz will command a hefty contract, but I lean he’ll be back.

Adam Ottovino – A-

This one was a surprise. Ottovino bounced back for some mediocre years to become one of the few reliable Mets arms. His unusual delivery and looping breaking pitches played great off of hard throwers that dominant the league. And despite most of his pitches curving well out of the strike zone, he routinely got the job done. For most of the year, he was the de-facto set up man to Diaz.

Now, I’m not 100% sure he’ll be able to repeat his success. Ottovino has been around the block and fluctuates from successful or disastrous each season. I don’t expect him to be lights out again, but I wouldn’t mind him returning. The downside is that his command can fail him, as seen in Game 2 of the Wild Card Round. Next year, I wouldn’t want to see him as the second-best reliever.

Seth Lugo – B+

Lugo took a lot of heat this year, but overall, he was pretty good. The dominant, multi-inning weapon of the past is gone, but at this point, Lugo is still an above average reliever. Most of his bad appearances were him pitching on back-to-back days, which was never supposed to be in the cards. When you have a partially torn PCL, you probably shouldn’t pitch consecutively. Then again, I’m not a doctor, at least in this article.

Lugo’s effectiveness revolves around his curveball. When he has it, he’s very good. But when he doesn’t, he’s really not anything special. As yet another free agent, it makes it tough to determine what his value is. I can’t see too many teams overbidding for Lugo, so this is another name I could see returning. He’s been a staple in the Mets organization, and I doubt many upgrades are available. I mean, look at the trade deadline.

Don’t worry, we’re getting there.

Trevor May – F

Man, I thought Trevor May was going to be a big add, but he’s been a disappointment. I know his WHIP isn’t 3.00, but every outing seemed to have 3 baserunners, and some luck to get out of an inning. He walked too many guys and gave up a lot of hard contact. Granted he had some injuries this year, but he wasn’t lights out in 2021 either. May was brought in to be a late inning, high leverage reliever, but he was not an option in those spots.

May’s contract is also up now, but I doubt he’ll return. Seems like a good guy and a decent teammate, but the bullpen needs more stability, and definitely a lefty.

Joely Rodriguez – D-

This isn’t the lefty I’m talking about.

The Mets traded for Rodriguez just before the season, mostly because he was a left-handed pitcher. In theory, this makes sense. Most teams have at least one really tough lefty, and a same handed pitcher in clutch. The downside is Rodriguez completely struggles against right-handed batters. Before the three-batter rule, Rodriguez had a use. In the current MLB? He’s really tough to trust considering righties destroy him.

While nearly every outing Rodriguez had was a nail biter, every 10^th or so appearance, he’d be lights out. He randomly strikes out 5 out of 6 hitters and look like a Bonafide star. Then his next 9 appearance would be an on base party, where everyone was invited. This is a position that needs to be upgraded.

Michael Givens – D-

The only Mets reliever added at the deadline, Givens also gave to the opposing batters. While he performed a bit better at the end of the year, any game prior to that wasn’t great. Givens seems to only throw 83 MPH meatballs, and he didn’t have much movement. There’s a reason he costed next to nothing at the deadline.

Despite having nothing positive to say, I still liked him better than May. I don’t even know what that means for either of them.

There were plenty of other players who pitched for the Mets, but either their roles were minuscule, or they completely sucked. Somehow, this team won 101 games. Baseball is weird that way.