The Mets have already signaled their intent to shorten games in 2026, investing heavily to fortify the back end of their pitching staff. With the recent signings of former Brewers and Yankees star Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million deal and former Yankees setup man Luke Weaver to a two-year, $22 million contract, the Mets have committed significant resources to their relief corps.
While the rotation and outfield still require attention, President of Baseball Operations David Stearns could double down on this strength and assemble a “super bullpen” by targeting free agent right-hander Seranthony Dominguez.
A High-Octane Arm to Complete the Trio
Adding Dominguez would give the Mets one of the most terrifying late-inning trios in baseball. The 31-year-old is coming off a strong 2025 campaign where he posted a 3.16 ERA across 62.2 innings, racking up 79 strikeouts. His raw stuff remains elite, evidenced by a fastball velocity that ranked in the 94th percentile, averaging 97.7 mph.
His underlying metrics suggest he is nearly impossible to hit when he is in the zone. Dominguez ranked in the 93rd percentile for expected batting average (xBA) at just .200 and the 94th percentile for Whiff Rate at 33.3%, proving that opposing hitters are often overwhelmed by his arsenal. His strikeout rate sat in the 91st percentile (30.3%), making him an ideal candidate for high-leverage situations where a ball in play could be dangerous.
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The Walk Rate Is the Only Red Flag
However, Dominguez is not without his flaws, and his volatility fits the “high-risk, high-reward” profile perfectly. The veteran struggled mightily with command in 2025, walking 13.8% of the batters he faced, which placed him in the 1st percentile for walk rate—essentially the bottom of the league. This led to a 1.28 WHIP, which is higher than you’d typically want from a premier setup man.
A Diverse Arsenal
Despite the control issues, his pitch mix is designed to miss bats. He utilizes a four-seam fastball (43%) to overpower hitters, pairing it with a sweeper (22%), split-finger (17%), and sinker (13%) combination that keeps batters guessing. If the Mets believe they can refine his command even slightly, adding Dominguez to a bullpen that already features Williams and Weaver would make the final three innings of every game a nightmare for opponents.
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