Mets Bullpen Has Been a Huge Relief So Far

Six games into the 2025 season, the Mets’ bullpen has been tested early and often. Fortunately, their relievers have mostly passed with flying colors.

While Mets starting pitchers were overall pretty good in their initial starts, length was lacking. Clay Holmes is still getting stretched out from reliever to starter and lasted just 4.2 innings in each of his two outings. Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning, David Peterson and Kodai Senga all had very encouraging first starts, but none made it into the sixth inning. Not to mention, would-be starters Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas are likely on the injured list for several more weeks.

Enter the Mets bullpen to save the day, quite literally.

Mets relievers have combined for a 1.64 ERA through six games, second-best in MLB behind the San Diego Padres. They opened the season with 12 1/3 scoreless innings before finally giving up a run in game four, falling just short of the team record set in 2007.

While it’s little surprise that Edwin Díaz has looked sharp in his two innings, including a successful save situation, several other less-decorated Mets relievers have made excellent first impressions early on. In fact, Huascar Brazobán, José Buttó, Reed Garrett, Ryne Stanek and Max Kranick all have something in common with Diaz – they have yet to give up a run in relief.

Brazobán has already entered three games and thrown five scoreless innings, giving up two hits and one walk with five strikeouts. He even locked up the save against the Marlins on Wednesday.

Perhaps the most eye-opening appearance so far came from Kranick, who retired Houston Astros sluggers Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of a 2-1 game (the Mets would go on to lose 2-1). Kranick, who hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2022, has logged 3.2 scoreless, hitless innings over his two appearances.

“It’s a good start,” said Stanek. “It’s obviously early in the season. I think the first couple series are about getting your way through, getting your feet wet, getting acclimated to the regular season. But it definitely feels good that everyone went out there and did their job.”

Bullpens are usually fickle throughout the long season, but the extremely early returns are good for the Mets. If A.J. Minter and Dedniel Núñez, who is currently in the minors and may eventually replace Danny Young, can return to form following their injuries last season, the Mets could have a deep and dependable pen.

That would be huge for a team with World Series aspirations and a somewhat unproven starting rotation.

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