NY Mets should hesitate to give the ball to Ryne Stanek in high-leverage spots

There’s a moment in every horror movie when a character hears a strange noise and, despite every instinct—and the entire audience yelling “Don’t go in there!”—they open the door anyway. It’s never the right decision, but they do it anyway, because that’s what the script says. For the New York Mets, that door is beginning to look like the bullpen gate when a high-leverage moment looms and Ryne Stanek starts loosening up. It’s not always clear what’s about to go wrong, but you know that when the scene is over, the outcome of the game is going to be a lot harder than it needs to be. It’s about time to change the script.

For the NY Mets, Stanek’s struggles in critical moments are becoming a growing concern that could impact their bullpen strategy as the season progresses.

Ryne Stanek has opened the season with a 4.63 ERA and 1.61 WHIP, walking six and striking out 11 over 11.1 innings. But the real concern surfaces when the Mets need him most. In high-leverage situations, defined as moments where a pitcher’s performance has a significant impact on the game’s outcome, Stanek has allowed five earned runs, with hitters batting .500 and an eye-popping 1.345 OPS in just 11 plate appearances. And this isn’t a 2025 anomaly. In 2024, Stanek gave up 14 earned runs and a .241 BA in high-leverage situations, allowing a hefty .823 average over 62 batters.

After his outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, where he surrendered two earned runs on three hits in the 7th inning with the Mets clinging to a 1-0 lead, Stanek took a reflective stance in his postgame interview. He admitted that he needed to execute better but pointed to the expected numbers on those hits, claiming they were in his favor. However, those hits were the exception, not the rule. His hard-hit rate stands at 52.9%, ranking in the lowest 3% in MLB, and his barrel rate is 11.8%, ranking in the lowest 21% in MLB.

That doesn’t mean Stanek can’t help this bullpen. When the stakes are lower, he’s been far more effective. In low to medium-leverage situations, opponents are hitting just .189 against him, and all 11 of his strikeouts have come across those 42 plate appearances. Even in medium-leverage spots specifically, he’s stranded every inherited runner. There’s a role for him in this bullpen, but until he becomes more effective, that role shouldn’t come with the game hanging in the balance.

The Mets don’t need to kill off Ryne Stanek’s role entirely, they just need to stop sending him into the scariest scenes. There’s a difference between being part of the cast and being the one holding the flashlight when the music shifts. Until he proves he can handle the tension without turning every tight spot into a jump scare, it’s best to keep him out of the spotlight when the stakes are highest. The bullpen door doesn’t have to cue the next sequel in the horror series, it just needs a little smarter directing.