The New York Mets have recently been linked to Miami Marlins star reliever Tanner Scott for bullpen support.
SNY’s Danny Abriano had this to say about the state of the Mets’ relief unit and how they could bolster its strength with the addition of Scott in the free agent market next winter (h/t Patrick McAvoy of New York Mets on SI):
“With Edwin Diaz, Dedniel Nunez, newly-converted reliever Jose Butto, and Phil Maton, the Mets have the makings of a solid bullpen,” Abriano said. “But the above pitchers make up just one-half of the eight-man relief corps that is otherwise full of question marks…Feasible targets could include White Sox reliever John Brebbia, Jacob Barnes of the (Washington Nationals), and Marlins closer Tanner Scott. All three are set to be free agents after this season.”
How Marlins reliever Tanner Scott could solve Mets’ bullpen uncertainties
The question marks Abriano is referring to stem from sloppy play on the mound from several of the Mets’ relievers. New York has 16 blown saves on the year and boasts a 61 percent save percentage. Diaz owns five of those 16 blunders and has not looked like the superstar closer that he is for the entirety of the campaign.
That’s where Scott comes into the equation. The 29-year-old is currently sporting a bragworthy 1.34 ERA, his lowest since his career-low 1.31 ERA in 2020. The righty talent has 14 saves on the 2024 campaign and would be a solid insurance policy for Diaz should the Puerto Rican ninth-inning performer encounter further struggles beyond this year.
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Scott has the tools to make the Mets’ bullpen elite
The 2024 All-Star’s stuff has been on another level this year. Not only does Scott’s 96.7 mph fastball velocity impress, but his .189 xBA (97th percentile), 32.8 percent whiff percentage (92nd percentile) and 29 percent hard-hit percentage (98th percentile) prove that he can limit the game’s best sluggers and place his pitches well within the strike zone and away from players’ sweet spots.
Those metrics would be critical for the Mets heading into the fall. New York won five of their last six games before the All-Star break and are back in the playoff picture off of the strength of their torrid month of June. Whether it’s Scott or another player of his ilk, the Mets are expected to make an impact acquisition to their bullpen.
