No big deal yet, but NY Mets bullpen lefty shortage could sting later

Somewhere between a magician sawing his assistant in half and a street entertainer guessing your card out of a shuffled deck lies the same fundamental truth: it’s all about misdirection. You focus on what’s right in front of you, the big comeback win, the clutch hits, the team ERA sitting near the top of the league and completely miss what’s lurking just off-stage. That’s the trick—the illusion. The New York Mets have been winning, and winning a lot, but even the best acts have a flaw in the setup. You might not see it at first, and maybe you're not supposed to. Until it reappears, right when it hurts the most. For example, having only one healthy left-handed reliever in the bullpen.

Coming into the season, the NY Mets were looking at two options from the left side of the mound: newly acquired A.J. Minter and Danny Young.

Minter, with his dominant numbers against lefties, was a key addition to solidify the bullpen, while Young, though showing flashes of effectiveness, has had some troubling splits against southpaws in the past. This forced Carlos Mendoza to carefully manage his matchups, knowing that at some point, he'd need to pull the right strings to get the most out of both pitchers.

But now, in early May, season-ending injuries to both Minter and Young have left the Mets with no choice but to reach into the minors for a left-handed reliever. Enter Genesis Cabrera. The Mets have brought him up to fill the void, but his time in Toronto last season left much to be desired. Against lefties, Cabrera struggled, allowing a .242 batting average, a .760 OPS, and giving up five home runs with only 19 strikeouts in 95 at-bats. While he’s capable, his numbers against left-handers aren’t exactly confidence-inspiring when the stakes are high.

Thankfully, the Mets do have a few right-handed relievers who have been effective against left-handed batters so far this season. Max Kranick, for one, has been lights out, holding lefties to a .191 batting average and a minuscule .572 OPS over 42 at-bats. He’s racked up nine strikeouts without issuing a single walk. However, it’s worth noting that both of the home runs he’s allowed this year came at the expense of left-handed hitters.

Another bright spot has been Reed Garrett, who’s kept lefties to a .208 batting average and a .530 OPS across 24 at-bats, with six strikeouts. While both have shown promise, the Mets are still playing with a thinner margin for error when it comes to matching up against southpaws.

In the grand scheme of things, the Mets’ bullpen has been performing well enough to make a run in October. But much like the misdirection in a magic act, the real problem could be hiding in plain sight. With both Minter and Young out for the season, the Mets’ thin left-handed reliever situation could easily resurface at the most inopportune time. Sure, Kranick and Garrett have done their part, but even the best acts need the right tools to make sure the illusion holds. For now, they’ll keep their fingers crossed, hoping the bullpen doesn’t pull the wrong card at the wrong moment. Because in baseball, like magic, the real trick is staying ahead of the game.