Unbalanced NY Mets roster can make one semi-strength a major weakness

The saying “you can never have enough pitching” is true. You need able-bodied players who can take the ball on the mound and get the job done. More than you even know. The New York Mets set a record for the most pitchers used in a season during the 2025 season. They’ll, yet again, ask a small nation to toe the rubber, hopefully fewer this year, to get them through 162 games.

The Mets strength right now is in the number of starting pitchers they have. While just about everyone comes with questions, they’re deep. There won’t be some patchworked opener every few days. Six starters strong with Tobias Myers ready to shift into a starter’s role if needed, the Mets have additional depth at the minor leagues.

A six-man rotation seems bound to happen despite Ron Darling’s critique. Carlos Mendoza has backed up the plan to have six starters. It’s both a strength of the Mets and always a great weakness for the overall construction of the roster.

Six starters means seven bullpen arms, putting the Mets at a disadvantage

Unless the Mets starters are taking advantage of the additional rest and giving them longer outings every six days, there really isn’t any great benefit to a six-man rotation other than maybe getting guys through the year healthy and maybe better performances. The big trouble for the 2025 Mets was health and how far many of the starters fell in the latter part of the year. Those same pitchers are back this season. Even with regular extra days of rest implemented throughout the year, it didn’t do much to save them from running out of gas in the second half.

The Mets were able to get through it because of careful management. This year’s roster construction may not allow as much leeway.

Of the starting pitchers, only Kodai Senga has minor league options. He’s not going to accept one so willingly like he did at the end of last year. The bullpen projects to have potentially Huascar Brazoban and Tobias Myers as guys they can send to the minor leagues. Bryan Hudson would have to be DFA’d. The same would apply for Craig Kimbrel if he makes the team.

The Mets may only have one true optional spot on the roster for pitchers. Swap out Hudson for A.J. Minter in May and assuming they won’t continually move Myers up and down from the minor leagues, it’s only that spot belonging to Brazoban (which isn’t even guaranteed) that’ll give them the leeway needed to ever add in a fresh arm.

These kinds of issues can sometimes work themselves out with injury which isn’t always the best because it means there’s a new problem which has risen. The Mets could have passed on a player like Luis Garcia in free agency and left it open for an optional arm. But who?’

The Mets don't have a bullpen built for a six-man rotation

Austin Warren had a good brief stint yet he’s hardly a sure-fire thing. Dylan Ross is intriguing. His lack of command is troublesome.

It does appear the Mets could be on the verge of getting over a difficult hump for the organization. When was the last time they had a bulk of homegrown optional relievers to get them through the year? I don’t just mean the existence of them. I’m looking for guys who are actually good.

Ross is already on the 40-man roster and could soon be joined by Ryan Lambert and his 30 raw eggs a day. Christian Scott feels like a candidate to slide into a relief role off of his Tommy John surgery. If Jonathan Pintaro can turn into anything, the same can apply to him.

It’s another year where the Mets will have to use the waiver wire and mid-season cuts to get them some relief innings. We’re not quite at the point of giving Ross two weeks, Lambert two more, and a third guy another pair while recycling through everyone for the duration of a season.

Lots of starting pitchers are great to have. It’s just a problem when it trickles down to giving you fewer bullpen arms. The Mets will need to keep an open-mind and think of occasionally piggybacking one starter behind the other to make this work.