The New York Mets are clinging to hope in the National League Wild Card race, and they’re turning to an untested but electric arm to help keep the dream alive. With just two games left against the Miami Marlins and the Reds still holding a slim edge, the Mets are calling on rookie flamethrower Dylan Ross to join the bullpen in a do-or-die weekend.
This isn’t just a roster move—it’s a gamble, the kind of bold decision that can either spark a clubhouse or serve as a last desperate swing.
A bullpen in crisis
Friday night’s loss underscored the Mets’ biggest weakness. Brandon Sproat couldn’t escape the fifth inning, forcing the bullpen to cover more ground than it was built for. That was the theme of the entire week, to be fair: relievers covering for the struggling rotation.
With every game now carrying October-level weight, New York simply couldn’t afford to roll into Saturday with a tired relief corps.
That urgency created the opening for Dylan Ross, a 25-year-old right-hander whose arm talent has had scouts buzzing since he first stepped on a mound after surgery.
The long road to the majors
Ross’s journey has been anything but conventional. Drafted by the Mets in the 13th round back in 2022 out of the University of Georgia, he didn’t throw a professional pitch for two years. Tommy John surgery in 2022 was followed by another procedure in 2023, leaving his career in limbo before it even started.
Ross finally debuted in 2024, and in 2025, he wasted no time reminding everyone why New York had taken a flier on him. He stormed through three levels of the minor leagues this season—High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A—posting a sparkling 2.17 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP over 49 appearances.
The bulk of his work came in Syracuse, where his dominance was undeniable: a 1.69 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 32 innings. Every outing seemed to solidify the idea that Ross wasn’t just healthy—he was evolving into a legitimate weapon.
A towering presence with electric stuff
At 6’5” and 251 pounds, Ross is built like an NFL tight end, and he pitches with the same kind of raw power. His fastball regularly sits in the high 90s and has touched triple digits. Add in a splitter, cutter, and curveball, and hitters face a full arsenal designed to keep them off balance.
Strikeouts have been his calling card. Across 54 innings in the minors this season, Ross piled up 80 punchouts. That’s the kind of swing-and-miss ability the Mets bullpen has sorely lacked, and it’s what the front office is banking on translating—at least enough to steal a game in Miami.
A chance to change the season
To clear space for Ross, the Mets designated veteran reliever Kevin Herget for assignment, a reminder of just how urgent this moment feels. Every roster decision now is made with the postseason in mind.
For Ross, it’s the chance of a lifetime. His first taste of the big leagues won’t come in a relaxed September call-up—it’s coming in the middle of a playoff race, where every pitch carries weight. It’s the baseball equivalent of a rookie quarterback being thrown into a two-minute drill with the season on the line.
The Mets don’t need Ross to be perfect. They just need him to miss a few bats, buy the offense time, and give the bullpen a jolt of fresh energy. If he does, his debut could become a story fans remember for years.
And if nothing else, Dylan Ross’s arrival adds one more layer of intrigue to a Mets season that has lived on the edge of heartbreak and hope all year long.
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