NY Mets: Seth Lugo isn’t getting attention this year and that’s a good thing

Since his return from the IL that kept him out of action for the first few weeks of 2021, Seth Lugo has pitched pretty well for the New York Mets. What else is new?

Lugo has been the most reliable reliever for the Mets these past few seasons. Outside of his struggles as a starter in 2020, Lugo has been money. In 2018, 2019, and today, there is nobody else you want on the mound more late in the game than maybe Jacob deGrom in a quest for a complete game.

Even though he has missed a lot of time, Lugo has gotten lost in the Mets headlines. That’s not such a bad thing either. It’s a credit to how well the rest of the bullpen has performed.

For a change, the Mets have a bullpen deeper than Seth Lugo

Lugo had to be a one-man army for much of the last few years. Fortunately, he has company this year. Mets relievers are mowing down opposing hitters much more frequently. I still have trouble believing it even when I see it.

Edwin Diaz, Miguel Castro, Trevor May, Aaron Loup, Drew Smith, and even Jeurys Familia are all on track to toss 20+ innings in the first half and finish up with ERAs under 4.00. One ugly outing could change this but to be this late into the season and have this many arms you can rely on out of the bullpen shows just how awesome these guys have been.

It’s almost not fun to come up with ways to use these relievers because of how effective they have been. No matter who Luis Rojas turns to, the job usually gets done.

Far too often, the story with the Mets bullpen has been about how crummy everyone is pitching and how much Lugo stands out. This narrative has flipped upside down in 2021 but Lugo remains a trusted guy ready to strike.

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Back and fully healthy, the story of the Mets bullpen goes beyond this one guy. It’s a collective group for the first time in several years and possibly the key to getting as far as possible.