Mets: How would some of the available relievers fare in Flushing?

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Jul 5, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Joe Smith (38) throws a pitch at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Joe Smith

Smith is another name who has come up in the discussion of people to add to the bullpen. Inserting another veteran who has pitched in New York for the Mets already wouldn’t be a bad thing.

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A veteran arm in general is something that would intrigue general manager Sandy Alderson. For arms that the Mets are looking at, they don’t want to break the bank. They’d rather add guys on one-year deals, as Alderson has done much of in the past with New York.

Through 10 major league seasons, Smith has posted a 2.93 ERA. The last couple of seasons have seen that number go up because Smith hasn’t been his dominant self. Before 2015, Smith’s ERA had not touched the 3-mark since 2010 (3.83 as a member of the Cleveland Indians).

With the Cubs and Angels, Smith combined for 54 games and 52 innings pitched. He gave up his most home runs since 2013 (eight compared to five) though he appeared in 16 less games and 11 less innings in 2016. He also struck out only 40 batters, his lowest number since 2010 (32), though he appeared in 12 more innings and one more game during the 2016 season.

The main point is New York will not sign dominant pitchers to fill roles in their bullpen. If you can add certain guys for small contracts, they’ll be smart signings. If you add Blevins, plus guys like Romo and Smith, they’d be even better signings.

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While Smith and Romo’s best years are behind them, you never know if you’ll strike lightning. With the Mets expected to be World Series contenders, New York’s bullpen will need to pick up the load. These are two players that, especially looking at past stats, could succeed in certain roles and take New York City by the horns.