Mets bullpen’s excellent start masking rotation injuries
The Mets opened the season missing two surefire starting pitchers in Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea, and one possible swingman in Paul Blackburn.
Through six games, not one of their still-building-up starters has reached 90 pitches, the group totaling 31 innings.
And yet the Mets have covered the injuries and the innings because their bullpen, particularly their multi-inning options, has been excellent.
Bullpens evolve, and what is true in early April probably won’t be true in September, but the Mets are finding ways to patch together games with several relievers capable of providing length.
Huascar Brazobán has recorded as many as seven outs in an outing and in all has covered five innings in three scoreless games.
José Buttó has recorded 3 ²/₃ innings in two scoreless outings. Max Kranick, who pitched three perfect innings with just 22 pitches Monday, has been untouched in two outings.
Reed Garrett got four outs Wednesday, including navigating out of a two-on jam inherited from Clay Holmes.
“Some of the guys that are able to give us multiple innings continue to do a good job,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Wednesday.
The Mets entered play Thursday with a 1.64 bullpen ERA that trailed only the Padres. The unit as a whole has been excellent — Edwin Díaz has looked strong twice, A.J. Minter and Ryne Stanek own the résumés while Danny Young has been the lone member who hasn’t been sharp — and only Brazobán and Young have been used three times in six games over eight days.
The group will continue to change, and Dedniel Núñez is getting closer with Triple-A Syracuse, but the early returns of the bullpen — especially those tasked with going long — have been encouraging.
“Still early,” Mendoza said, “but very pleased with some of the guys and how they’re throwing the baseball.”
The Mets signed recovering righty José Marte, who has pitched in 39 games with the Angels the past four years, to a minor league deal.
The 28-year-old reliever, who holds a career 5.56 ERA, underwent shoulder surgery in September.
Members of Ed Kranepool’s family and Art Shamsky will be recognized on the field before Friday’s home opener.
The Mets are wearing a tribute patch on their uniform for Kranepool, who died in September.
Ahead of the home opener, the Empire State Building was set to be lit blue and orange Thursday night.
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