Mets added some guys with playoff experience, for what it’s worth

The New York Mets did a fine job of adding players with playoff experience to the roster this winter. How much does this even matter?

In sports, fans will come up with whatever reason they can to fit their personal agenda. I’m as guilty of it as anyone else. A common one we’ll hear references experience. For players, it sometimes swings back to playoff experience. If something like that matters to you, the New York Mets had a pretty solid offseason.

Brodie Van Wagenen managed to add five key players to the roster this winter. They’ll contribute in varying degrees. Some of these guys even have room to grow within the company.

For whatever it’s worth, the Mets have some new guys with playoff experience on the roster. But was that experience anything good?

Rick Porcello

Rick Porcello has 40 innings of experience in the postseason and a World Series ring won in the 2018 season as a member of the Boston Red Sox. His results haven’t been spectacular. He’s 1-3 with a 4.73 ERA in 7 starts and another 9 relief appearances.

Porcello had plenty of chances to see October baseball during his career. From his early Detroit Tigers days through his years in Boston, there was never a shortage of chances. From 2011-2018, his teams only missed the playoffs twice.

For a starting pitcher, I think there is some value to knowing a guy has been there before. With the number 22 now on his back and a history of the Mets World Series MVPs both wearing this same number, a betting man might make a phone call to his favorite bookie.

First, Porcello has to help lead the Mets to the postseason. Similar to his days with the Tigers, he’ll slot in behind some incredibly talented pitchers.

Michael Wacha

There aren’t many active pitchers who have experienced the major high and low Michael Wacha has in the postseason. His first trip to the playoffs in 2013 included a stellar start in the NLDS, a NLCS MVP after 13.2 shutout innings, and a poor performance in the World Series.

Things didn’t go well for Wacha after whenever he found himself pitching past game 162. He famously gave up a walk-off home run to the San Francisco Giants in the 2014 NLCS. A year later, he made his return to the rotation when he faced the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS. They beat him up with three home runs in 4.1 innings of work.

Unfortunately, Wacha hasn’t had his redemption song. His promising postseason career has now turned into something far more average with a 4-3 record and 4.08 ERA.

Although his specific role with the 2020 Mets is undefined and may change throughout the year, there’s an opportunity for him to turn things around on the mound this season.

Brad Brach

Mets fans are already familiar with Brad Brach from his time with the team in late 2019. He’s back and carries with him a short yet mostly successful postseason resume. In 5 innings, Brach has allowed only a single run.

I’m somewhat surprised to see Brach didn’t see more playoff action for the Baltimore Orioles. I think I may have underestimated how long they’ve been a bad baseball team and/or how often they were getting taken out in the playoffs quickly.

Brach never did allow a run in the playoffs as a member of the Orioles. The lone run he did surrender came as a member of the Atlanta Braves in 2018—his most recent trip there.

Brach doesn’t have the same playoff experience as some other guys on this list. And even if he did, relief pitchers are so hit and miss I wouldn’t know what to expect.