Braves free agent suggestion will have NY Mets fans laughing until it hurts

Pretty please let this be the move the Braves make next.
Atlanta Braves v New York Mets
Atlanta Braves v New York Mets | Jim McIsaac/GettyImages

Bleacher Report came out with another list covering the entire league, looking for one target for each MLB team. For the New York Mets, they skipped rock science class and had Luis Robert Jr. getting traded to Queens. Sensible. Realistic. Okay with it.

Who they suggested for the Atlanta Braves was far more fun. Rather than bring them a big bat, starting pitcher, or notable reliever, their suggestion was for the Braves to round out their bullpen with…Ryne Stanek.

This is no case of mistaken identity. There might not be another person in the world with this name. Linkedin has several folks named Ryan Stanek. Our Ryan Stanek is one of a kind.

Please let Ryne Stanek become the next Braves free agent signing

If there’s one pitcher we wouldn’t mind reuniting with Jeremy Hefner in Atlanta, it’s Stanek. Worth -1.2 bWAR with a regular season ERA of 5.47 in his year and a half with the Mets, Stanek was an often frustrating reliever and untrustworthy member of the bullpen down the stretch in 2025.

Don’t let the fastball velocity, chase percentage, or all of the whiffing hitters did against him fool you into thinking there’s more there. In the last three seasons, Stanek has been beatable with his time as a member of the Mets signaling the largest TKO against him. His unworldly 1.15 ERA in 2022 for the Houston Astros is an outlier and not something he’ll come close to matching. He allowed only 7 earned runs that entire year. He gave up 7 home runs for the Mets in 2025.

The Braves already managed to re-sign Raisel Iglesias and convince Robert Suarez to join them to become a setup man. Turning to Stanek for some of those middle innings would erase just how good their bullpen is trending. Considering they non-tendered Pierce Johnson and Tyler Kinley for possible financial reasons, it would be a strange turn to go at Stanek who was far worse. He may cost less, but it’s a disservice to yourself.

Atlanta already has a crowded bullpen with only one optional reliever on their depth chart. That’s not to say they wouldn’t DFA someone in favor of an addition. But for Stanek…? Yes, please.

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