Mets: Three potential openers that could be utilized out of the bullpen

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BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 01: Manager Luis Rojas #19 of the New York Mets walks on the field before the game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 1, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /

With openers being the latest analytical craze around baseball, the New York Mets haven’t entirely shut the door on potentially being one of the newer teams that could experiment with using an opener this season. While many organizations during the 2020 season had moved forward with using openers more often due to the quirkiness of the condensed campaign it’s something we haven’t seen the Mets fully go all-in on yet.

The Tampa Bay Rays are the pioneers in terms of using openers in modern baseball which dates back to 2018. For reference sake, an opener is a relief pitcher who specializes in getting the first three outs in a game, before being replaced by a starting pitcher or a long reliever who would come in and pitch multiple innings.

The goal of the opener is the opportunity for a reliever to be called in to face the first three hitters, who usually could be considered the most dangerous in the starting lineup, at the beginning of the game. In turn, it provides a team the opportunity to avoid the potential of those hitters seeing the same pitcher a third time through the lineup, as well as disrupting the hitter’s rhythm in a game with the hitter having to prepare for two different pitchers within as many at-bats.

Mets Manager Luis Rojas has hinted that he has relievers that could potentially fill an opener role if the team were to move in that direction this season.

When Manager Luis Rojas was asked about the potential of using an opener by the press during the start of camp he had stated, “We do have individuals on our roster right now that can definitely do something like that.” It’s certainly a noteworthy remark from Rojas as he seems to already have some names in mind on who he could potentially use in that particular situation.

With that being said, I’d like to evaluate three potential options that could be used as openers for the Mets, should they move in that direction at any point during the upcoming regular season.

ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 21: Aaron Loup #15 of the Tampa Bay Rays delivers the pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the eighth inning in Game Two of the 2020 MLB World Series at Globe Life Field on October 21, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

1) Left-handed pitcher Aaron Loup

Speaking of the aforementioned Tampa Bay Rays, Aaron Loup was signed away from the Rays by the Mets to become their primary left-handed reliever out of the bullpen. However, it doesn’t go without saying that Loup may be the first pitcher asked to be used as an opener this season and he seems to be taking it in stride.

Loup had been asked publicly during camp on his thoughts of being used as an opener for the Mets this upcoming season, and he gave one of the best quotes of Spring Training thus far. Loup indicated his willingness to become an opener for the Mets by stating, “Who wouldn’t want to be the guy to start the game and then get to sit in the clubhouse and drink a few brews on the back end and watch the rest of it?”

It’s certainly the right attitude to have as Loup seems to be the likeliest of all pitchers out of the bullpen currently projected to make the Mets Opening Day roster to pitch in that spot. It’s not undeserving either, as Loup held left-handed batters to a .212 batting average last season and right-handed hitters to a .192 batting average.

Unlike many other relievers who typically rely on fewer than four different types of pitches, Loup contains a four-pitch arsenal that contains a sinker, a cutter, a curveball, and a changeup. Hitters struggled to pick up on Loup’s pitches last season as hitters only hit .225 against his sinker, they also only hit.182 against Loup’s cutter, and .125 against Loup’s changeup.

While Loup has made 406 career appearances over his nine-year tenure, he never started a game to this point. But Loup’s familiarity of being in an organization that prioritizes using an opener certainly helps, as well as the variety of pitches he can successfully use to keep a hitter off-balance in the first inning.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 12: Robert Gsellman #65 of the New York Mets delivers the pitch against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field on August 12, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images) /

2) Right-handed pitcher Robert Gsellman

While Robert Gsellman’s role in the Mets bullpen in 2021 is still unknown after a rough season in 2020, Gsellman could provide value to the Mets as a potential opener this season. It’s highly doubtful that Manager Luis Rojas puts Gsellman in many high-leverage situations this season, which may provide him the opportunity to make his mark as an opener.

Gsellman has experience as both a starting pitcher and a reliever since entering the big leagues in 2016, which is one of the main reasons he was brought back to compete for a spot in the bullpen this season. His versatility can allow the Mets to be creative in how they potentially use him this summer especially in many non-traditional ways such as an opener.

Last season Gsellman posted an ugly 9.64 ERA in six appearances (four starts) before missing most of September with a fractured rib. However, Gsellman largely struggled with his command and elevated pitch counts after being promoted to the Mets starting rotation after necessity in August, which has all but eliminated any chance of the Mets using Gsellman in the rotation moving forward.

As a reliever, Gsellman has posted a career 4.50 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in comparison to a 4.83 ERA and 1.49 WHIP as a starting pitcher. Gsellman also has impressive numbers when facing a batter leading off an inning, as hitters are only hitting .235 against Gsellman with a 56/20 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which could further strengthen the argument of Gsellman becoming an opener.

Gsellman who is a notorious sinkerball pitcher has seen his ground ball rate drop significantly since entering the league back in 2016. Back in 2016, Gsellman’s groundball percentage was 57.5% and last season it was a lowly 41.5%. For Gsellman to be successful he has to keep the ball down and on the ground which is a glaring area in terms of turning things around in 2021.

It’s important for Gsellman to find his niche with the Mets this season and becoming an opener may be the best route for Gsellman to do that outside of a long-relief role. Gsellman is arbitration-eligible for the final time this upcoming offseason, and any further regression or lack of a role out of the bullpen could see him in another uniform next season.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 25: Jeurys Familia #27 of the New York Mets in action against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on August 25, 2020 in New York City. Miami Marlins defeated the New York Mets 3-0. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

3) Right-handed pitcher Jeruys Familia

Jeurys Familia enters the 2021 season similar to Robert Gsellman with more questions than definitive answers in terms of a potential role with the Mets. While Familia had himself a bit of a bounce-back in 2020 after a disastrous 2019 season, he was frequently shopped this offseason due to his large salary and his fit within the bullpen.

Familia could have an opportunity to leave his mark on this year’s ballclub by making some appearances as an opener for the Mets. It’s not uncommon for many Mets fans to reach for the Rolaids in the medicine cabinet when watching Familia pitch in high-leverage situations or when he is coming into a situation where things aren’t exactly falling into place for him, as it seems an implosion on the mound is inevitable.

However, it may come to Familia’s benefit for Manager Luis Rojas to put him in a position to succeed by starting the first inning of a ball game in a low leverage situation. In Familia’s career batters are only hitting .222 against Familia in low leverage situations. Furthermore, the first batter to face Familia in a game is only hitting .213 throughout Familia’s entire career which is a great way to throw off the balance of an aggressive lead-off hitter early.

One area that Familia needs to continue to improve on is his command, as it seems to be an area that has continuously bit him over the past couple of seasons. In both 2019 and 2020, Familia has averaged around a 15% walk percentage, which is a far cry from his 9% walk percentage back in 2018.

Next. Three Mets pitchers that could start in emergency situations this season

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I don’t believe you can afford to continuously put Familia in high-leverage situations with as wild as his command has been lately until proven otherwise. It also seems that Trevor May, Seth Lugo (when healthy), and Edwin Diaz will primarily be the late-inning options for the Mets this season, which leaves Familia on the outside looking in. I believe allowing Familia to potentially come in as an opener should the Mets move in that direction, could be a way to better utilize him moving forward in his walk year.

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