The Mets’ secret weapon has been a surprisingly dominant bullpen

Mar 27, 2017; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Seth Lugo (67) delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during a spring training game at First Data Field. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Mets are comfortably in first place of the National League East división with a 29-23 record, 3.5 games ahead of the second-place Atlanta Braves. After the investment made by the new ownership, it’s not surprising to see the Mets at the top.

The shocking part comes when one considers the severe injury crisis the Mets have had to endure, yet they are still leading the pack. They have been slowly getting healthier, but stars such as Noah Syndergaard, Carlos Carrasco, JD Davis, Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil, and others are still on the injured list.

One of the reasons that can explain the Mets, fantastic play over the last few weeks has been the bullpen. Seen as a weakness in the past, the organization managed to assemble a very effective unit.

The Mets’ bullpen ranks first in Major League Baseball in Wins Above Replacement, or WAR, with 3.3 so far. Its 3.36 ERA is the sixth-best in the league and the third-best in the National League, behind the San Diego Padres and the Chicago Cubs.

The Mets have several weapons in the late innings

Edwin Diaz, the closer, has been money with a 3.09 ERA and an even better 1.64 FIP. He has struck out 33.3 percent of the batters he has faced, exactly a third, which is awfully impressive.

The Mets, however, have been fortunate enough to have several relievers besides Diaz performing at a high level.

One of them is newcomer Aaron Loup. The left-hander has a 2.40 ERA in 15 innings, giving Luis Rojas’ team a quality southpaw that can also retire righties.

Sean Reid-Foley has been a revelation with a 1.98 ERA, while Jeurys Familia’s ERA is down to 2.00.

The Mets recently got back right-hander Seth Lugo, one of the most dependable bullpen arms in MLB for a few years now.

Miguel Castro, Robert Gsellman, and Trevor May complete an awesome group that has all the weapons to keep dominating and giving the Mets a higher chance to win night in and night out.