7) Ryne Stanek
The trade for Ryne Stanek in 2024 was acceptable only because he was one of the club’s most clutch relievers in the postseason. His poor regular season results were easily brushed aside by how well he did in the playoffs. So, when Stanek became a free agent, it didn’t hurt to bring him back…or did it?
The 2025 season was kind of predictable for Stanek. It wasn't quite Charles Dickens level "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." nor can we equate his season to being a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde curious case. Stanek was just your typical reliever who got the job done four times in a row then blew up on the fifth try.
A higher walk rate, low strikeout rate, and a WHIP that finished at 1.57 on the season combined to make a statistical nightmare. Setting aside his 5.30 ERA which the 4.40 FIP suggests was the result of some bad luck, there wasn't a whole lot of good to come out of Stanek's one full season in New York.
This signing had some of the same details as the Jesse Winker signing, another bad one but forgivable because the injury kind of disqualifies him. The rate wasn't the problem. The belief that playing well in the postseason was enough to reunite seemed to be one of the major causes for the return of both. Stanek cost a reasonable $4.5 million. The problem was the Mets never realized how bad things were getting and let him finish the season with the ball club.
