As the offseason approaches, the New York Mets will have a lot of work to do following a second straight disappointing season.
For the first time in over 20 years, the Mets finished in last place in the NL East with a 74-88 record, after a 12-game losing streak in April and a midseason managerial change derailed what was expected to be a promising season in Flushing.
All eyes are on what New York plans to add or subtract from their roster this winter as they hope to contend in 2027. While there are plenty of holes that need to be addressed, could these three relief pitchers be on the move, signaling that the Mets need to upgrade their bullpen?
1. Tobias Myers
Myers came to the Mets last offseason from the Milwaukee Brewers in the same deal that included Freddy Peralta. Safe to say that trade was a disaster for the Mets. Peralta had one of the worst ERAs in all of baseball during his time with New York and, after being traded to the Tampa Bay Rays, now has a chance to win a World Series.
As for Myers, the right-hander was brought in as a long-relief option out of the bullpen and even as a back-end starter for the rotation. Neither option panned out well for Myers or the Mets.
In 32 games (eight starts) during the regular season, the 28-year-old logged a career-worst 5.53 ERA with 41 strikeouts, 16 walks, and a 1.34 WHIP across 53.2 innings.
Myers was also shuffled back and forth to Triple-A Syracuse, as he lacked consistency in the big leagues. With Myers out of minor league options, holding onto him may be a risky move for the Mets after his disastrous first season.
2. Dedniel Núñez
Not that long ago, Núñez looked like a reliable arm out of the Mets bullpen. In 25 outings in 2024, Núñez posted a dazzling 2.31 ERA and 48 strikeouts over 35 innings pitched. However, his excellent 2024 campaign ended after he underwent surgery for a flexor injury.
Unfortunately for Núñez, he never recovered from that dominant season, putting his future in the Mets' bullpen in serious question. Núñez appeared in just 10 games for New York in 2025 and struggled, posting a 4.66 ERA over 9.2 innings. The 30-year-old ultimately underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on July 12, 2025, which also forced him to miss most of 2026.
The righty eventually returned for the Mets this past season on August 4 and looked like his old self. In 25 games, Núñez had a 2.31 ERA with 48 strikeouts and a 0.91 WHIP, while also recording a save. Despite those impressive stats, you have to consider his health as a major factor in keeping him on the roster in 2027.
Núñez has never worked more than those 25 outings he logged last season. Can the Mets really bet on him going a full regular season?
After selling off most of their bullpen arms at the trade deadline, the Mets are expected to have a new-look bullpen in 2027. Despite his impressive late-season cameo, health is still a major question mark, and New York should look to move on.
3. Reed Garrett
Speaking of dominant relievers in the 2024 season, Reed Garrett was another fun story that year for the Mets. During his first full season in New York, Garrett posted a 3.77 ERA with 83 strikeouts in a career-high 57.1 innings over 53 games.
While the right-hander had another solid season for the Mets in 2025, logging a 3.90 ERA with 64 punchouts over 55.1 innings pitched, Garrett missed all of 2026 to undergo Tommy John surgery.
Now, that shouldn't be the sole reason why the Mets should try to trade him this offseason; Garrett has always had a bit of a difficult time with consistency. And with the Mets likely to enter 2027 with lots of new faces and potentially young arms, they can't afford that.
One perfect example is Garrett's high walk rate. In 2025, the 32-year-old posted a 10.9% walk rate, walking 4.23 batters per nine innings. He walked 26 batters overall in only 55.1 innings. Garrett had similar problems in 2024, walking a career-high 30 batters, with a 12.1% walk rate.
The Mets have a lot of work to do following last season's disaster, and upgrading the bullpen looks to be at the top of the list. Even though all three relievers listed above have proven to be reliable bullpen arms, bringing back Myers, Núñez, and Garrett, who have more questions than answers surrounding them, may not be the best idea.
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