Mets: What we can expect from newly acquired arms in 2020

Mets sign Michael Wacha on December 13th

In early December, Brodie Van Wagenen made his first purchase of the 2019 Winter Meetings when he inked former St. Louis Cardinals starter, Michael Wacha to a one-year deal. After taking the league by storm during his performance in the 2013 season, Wacha has slowly fizzled out of the spotlight in the seven average seasons that have followed.

Interestingly, this signing appears to have a high ceiling for success due to the acquired depth of steady right-handed pitching out of the bullpen with the possibility of being a spot starter throughout the season. Plus, his sensible $3 million deal includes incentives worth closer to $7 million based upon how many games he starts, providing him with an added layer of motivation to perform.

Acquiring Wacha not only shores up the back end the Mets rotation (should he beat out Steven Matz for the fifth man spot), but he is also a sensible long reliever out of the pen, giving Mets manager Rojas the flexibility of having a spot-starter to spell his starters down the stretch, or allow them to carry a six-man rotation should they ever desire to do so. However, it’s a long season, and it’s good to have options.

It’s been a downward trajectory since his best statistical season in 2015 when he went 17-7 with a 3.20 ERA in 30 games started and 19 quality starts. The 28-year-old posted an unenviable 6-7 win/loss record in 29 games (24 started) this past season (4.76 ERA), marking a down-turn from his 2018 totals of 8-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 15 games started.

At the end of Spring Training, however, I expect Wacha to be in the pen, while Steven Matz becomes the Mets fifth starter come Opening Day.

Mets sign Rick Porcello on December 16th

It should be regarded as the offseason of one-year, prove-it deals for BVW and his front office.

Following the acquisition of Michael Wacha, Van Wagenen bolstered his starting pitching staff by adding veteran pitcher, and 2016 AL Cy Young winner, Rick Porcello to the roster.

Not only did this signing lift the back-end of the Mets starting rotation, it has also put Steven Matz, and consequently Michael Wacha (just days after his signing), on notice that with another pitcher joining the starting pitching staff, someone is going to have to join the bullpen.

Although by every given account, it looks as though Porcello’s status as a starting pitcher is by no means in jeopardy; his signing does create competition for other pitchers. While he finished his 2019 season with a 14-12 win/loss record, posting a 5.52 ERA through 32 games started, how successful he is at turning his play around will ultimately determine his job security despite the expectation that he will start 2020 in the Mets rotation.

On the bright side, no other Brodie Van Wagenen addition this offseason has shown more pride to suit up in orange and blue this season than New Jersey native, Rick Porcello. Growing up a life-long New York Mets fan, Porcello’s one-year $10 million has by all accounts appeared to be a match made in heaven.

With him on the team, the rotation should shape up to see: Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard, Marcus Stroman, Rick Porcello, and Steven Matz.

Mets sign Dellin Betances on December 24th

After making all of one appearance in 2019, Dellin Betances has more than just past injuries to overcome this season. Prior to last year, he became the first reliever to reach the 100-strikeout mark in five consecutive seasons from 2014-18, and with a 2.22 ERA during that stretch to boot.

This signing was meant to put the bullpen over the top, according to Brodie Van Wagenen. By signing former New York Yankees reliever to a one-year, $10.5 million deal, with a player option for 2021, BVW made his intentions to build upon their 2019 successes clear: He wants to contend.

And in terms of how the Mets organization has operated in the past when it comes to adding a high-salaried player to ‘put them over the top,’ adding Betances is an unconventional move for this franchise – and a huge step in the ‘championship direction.’

For all his faults and few miscues, this is why I like BVW. Despite whatever budget the Wilpon’s have him operating with, his thinking is always in the interest of winning baseball games. And in order to do that, he works to add quality talent to this club, so that they will win games.

Case in point with the one-year deal agreed upon with Betances. Moreover, a bullpen with a vintage Edwin Díaz, Jherys Familia, and Dellin Betances is a forbidding prospect for any batter to have to face – without question. Not to mention the added threat of a healthy Seth Lugo.

So, if Dellin Betances is healthy, he will be one of the integral pieces to the Mets success. Although it may appear an obvious assessment, it’s important to realize that it has been more than a year since Betances was able to showcase his talents when healthy. I don’t care about the four-time All-Star he once was: sitting out for an entire season due to injury could change any MLB player, never mind a pitcher of all positions.

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Regardless, it’s important in looking ahead to this upcoming season that despite the bullpen’s well-documented struggles to record the last three outs of games in 2019, the option of turning to Betances; of whom management is also hoping for a bounce-back season, may just the difference for the Mets this season.