PHILADELPHIA — It wouldn’t be until nearly a month following the nonwaiver trade deadline last summer that the Mets made an overlooked move that left a lasting impact.
That’s when the Mets sent a pair of minor-league arms to the Diamondbacks for Addison Reed, a one-time closer whose struggles had prompted a demotion to the minors earlier in the season.
Nearly a year later, Reed has emerged as one of the top relievers in baseball, a steady and versatile weapon deployed mainly in the eighth inning as a setup man for Jeurys Familia.
“He’s saved us in the back end of the bullpen,” manager Terry Collins said Saturday.
The Mets again are in the market and hope to find another hidden gem. Perhaps a move comes before the Aug. 1 nonwaiver trade deadline, perhaps it comes after. But sources say the Mets are targeting one more experienced righthanded arm to fill out a bullpen that continues to be a strength.
Mets relievers have a 3.20 ERA, third best in the National League and sixth best in baseball.
Lately, they’ve been even better. In their last 12 games, the Mets bullpen has a 1.64 ERA with 48 strikeouts.
Reed’s 2.09 ERA heading into Saturday ranked seventh among all relievers with at least 40 innings. It’s an improvement that pitching coach Dan Warthen attributes to a tighter slider and adjusted fastball.
But Collins echoed sentiment shared by the front office that the Mets could use another arm to guard against overuse.
“If we continue to have close games, there’s going to be nights where we’ll have to turn to somebody else,” he said.
Jim Henderson slotted into that role, pitching to a 1.08 ERA in April. But he faded and eventually landed on the disabled list June 21 with right biceps tendinitis.
The Mets signed Antonio Bastardo this winter to a two-year, $12-million deal. They envisioned him as another experienced reliever to work in high-leverage situations.
But he has flopped, posting a 4.91 ERA. His role has been marginalized since he endured a brutal spring training that has spilled over into the season.
Hansel Robles, 25, has a 2.93 ERA in 38 appearances. While he has pitched well, the Mets place value on experience.
They nearly signed Kevin Jepsen following his release from the Twins with a 6.16 ERA. The righthander ended up reuniting with the Rays.
And skepticism exists within the organization over the cost benefits of a higher-end reliever such as the Brewers’ Jeremy Jeffress.
It’s possible the Mets’ biggest move comes later in the process. For instance, the Mets’ biggest bullpen move last summer involved trading for setup man Tyler Clippard and the Mets figured Reed would be non-tendered because of the $5 million he was expected to earn in arbitration.
- Newsday