This underrated NY Mets strength will propel them to October

The 2025 New York Mets season is here, and fans are striding into it with optimism, swagger, and just a touch of justified arrogance. After all, the blueprint for success was shown last season—timely clutch hits, dependable starting pitching, grinding out tough at-bats in high-pressure moments, and a relentless "never say die" attitude.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The competition isn’t exactly sitting still. The Cubs have gone shopping, the Braves have gotten healthy, the Diamondbacks have an ace up their sleeve, and the Phillies and Padres are lurking as always. Oh, and the Dodgers? They’re still out there stockpiling Infinity Stones for yet another title run. So, if the Mets want to make a run for October, they’ll need to lean on one underrated strength—the bullpen.

Despite posting respectable bullpen numbers in 2024—3.93 ERA (6th in the NL), 58 homers allowed (2nd fewest in the NL), 600 strikeouts (6th in the NL), and a 1.27 WHIP (5th in the NL)—the Mets’ relief corps often felt more like a rollercoaster than a reliable safety net. The biggest offenders? Jake Diekman, who stumbled to a 5.63 ERA over 32 innings before getting cut loose in July, and Adam Ottavino, who struggled his way to a 4.34 ERA across 56 innings. From there, David Stearns started tossing darts at the bullpen board, hoping to land a winner. Instead, he got Michael Tonkin, Jorge López, and Huascar Brazobán—all of whom made more noise for the wrong reasons.

With a key offseason addition and two rising arms ready to step into bigger roles, the Mets’ bullpen looks primed to be the backbone of their postseason push.

A two-year, $22 million deal lured A.J. Minter away from the rival Braves, giving the Mets a much-needed weapon from the left side. While a hip injury cut his 2024 season short, he’s on track for Opening Day and brings exactly what this bullpen needs—swing-and-miss stuff, with a 30.7% strikeout rate over the last three seasons. Stearns will happily plug his 95 mph four-seamer and a rock-solid 2.82 ERA (over his last 169 innings) into the late-inning mix. This move gives the bullpen a significant upgrade and a dependable late-inning option.

Alongside Minter’s arrival, two young arms who flashed serious potential last season, José Buttó and Dedniel Núñez, are set to take on bigger roles in 2025. Upgrading from the inconsistency of Ottavino and the previous year’s revolving door of experimental arms, this duo can bring stability and upside to a unit that desperately needs both.

Buttó was the ultimate Swiss Army knife for the Mets in 2024, bouncing between long relief, high-leverage spots, and even making seven starts. Now, with a more defined role in the bullpen, the hope is that he can replicate his stellar relief numbers—posting a 2.00 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, .190 xBA, and 41 strikeouts over 36 innings. If he can build on that success, the Mets can have the bullpen depth they’ve been searching for.

Before a season-ending arm injury cut his 2024 campaign short, Dedniel Núñez was nothing short of electric. His four-seam/slider combo was downright nasty, producing a 2.31 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, .186 xBA, and a 35.6% strikeout rate over 35 innings. He might not break camp with the big-league club, but when he’s healthy, he will get his shot—and that’s exactly what the Mets need.

If the Mets are going to make a serious run in 2025, their bullpen can’t just be serviceable, it has to be a weapon. With the addition of Minter and expanded roles for Buttó and Nunez, this relief corps has the potential to be a true difference-maker. Of course, potential doesn’t win games—execution does. But if this group can lock things down late, the Mets might just find themselves not only making it to October but playing deep into it. And this time, it’ll be because they built a bullpen that can finish what the rest of the team starts.