Mets Roster: Three key players that need to improve ASAP

Relief Pitcher Trevor May

Going into opening day, the Mets were already without Seth Lugo. The star reliever is out following elbow surgery and has only recently begun throwing again. Additionally, the Mets have also lost reliever Dellin Betances to the injured list with a shoulder injury.

That being said, it has been known for quite a while that the other relieves in the bullpen would need to step up. Miguel Castro is the perfect example, as he has struck out six in 4.2 innings of work, posting a modest 3.86ERA.

At the same time, the big off-season addition to the bullpen, Trevor May, has not. May signed with the New York Mets on a two-year deal worth $15.5-million with the expectation he would be one of the shutdown relievers.

Instead, May has started off the 2021 season with mixed results. He has had four outings, spanning 3.1 innings, posting an impressive strikeout per nine inning mark of 16.2.

Then again, May has also given up six hits, two walks, and ultimately owns an earned run average of 5.40. Clearly, this has not been the start the Mets, nor May hoped to the year.

Even with his early struggles, May is a veteran who will remain a go-to guy out of the pen. Over the past three years for the Minnesota Twins, May had a 3.19ERA, which is what the Mets were hoping for him this season.

Again, the season is still very young, with only eight of the Mets 162 games played. Nevertheless, with Lugo and Betances out, May needs to pitch the way he did in Minnesota now.