Lousy first impression reconfirms the clearest NY Mets trade deadline need

On the list of New York Mets trade deadline needs, none is more apparent than their absence of a left-handed reliever. Their big offseason free agent signing of A.J. Minter ended prematurely with a season-ending injury. Danny Young was also added to the list of relievers who went M.I.A., leaving the Mets with a carousel of choices to fill in.

Genesis Cabrera. Jose Castillo. Richard Lovelady. All have been DFA’d at some point by the Mets. The same conclusion could be coming for Colin Poche after a lousy first impression on Saturday evening.

Yet another Hail Mary attempt to find a solution within, the Mets promoted Poche ahead of their series versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 0.2 innings of work, Poche allowed a pair of hits, a pair of walks, and 2 earned runs. All of his inherited runners crossed the plate, turning Huascar Brazoban’s day from bad to worse.

The Mets have a trade deadline need that continues to stick out like a sore thumb

Across the field, the Mets saw Caleb Ferguson toss 2 shutout innings against them and lower his ERA to 2.75 on the year. The lefty veteran might, in fact, end up as a Mets trade target before the month is over. Despite the Pirates’ manhandling of the Mets in two tries, they’re going to be one of the biggest deadline sellers. This includes Ferguson whose left arm should make him desirable to a team like the Mets in desperate need for an answer.

Poche came to the Mets at a strange time in his career. From 2022-2024 with the Tampa Bay Rays, he was a reliable yet unspectacular arm. A 3.99 ERA in the first and 3.86 ERA in the last of that three-year stretch varied greatly from the 2.23 ERA in 2023. He signed as a free agent with the Washington Nationals but only lasted 8.2 innings before getting released. The results were horrific with the Mets doing some of the damage. He departed Washington with an 11.42 ERA and a dozen walks. While the home run bug wasn’t an issue, the limited sample saw him leave the Nationals with a 54.2% hard-hit percentage.

The Mets, interestingly, never gave Anthony Gose a chance before he was granted free agency and joined the Arizona Diamondbacks. Brandon Waddell has been their best lefty out of the bullpen, spinning 3 shutout innings versus the Pirates earlier in this same game and lowering his ERA to 2.45 on the season. Not a traditional left-handed reliever and much more useful as an innings eater for the ball club, he’s not a solution.

The Mets have been chasing their tail for a good part of June and yet go into Sunday only a half-game out of first place in the NL East. It’s a sixth grade breakup after a 3-day fling with a classmate. Some parts feel worse than they actually are. The tiresome search for a left-handed bullpen solution is kicking into high gear in July. At least Poche didn’t tease us and let the trap door fall out quickly. Let’s see if he gets another opportunity.