NY Mets waiver wire steal is outwearing his welcome

Back in 2024, Reed Garrett was one of the most inspirational stories for the New York Mets. After pitching for two seasons in Japan and being cut by the Orioles in 2023, he became one of the go-to arms out of the pen. In 57 1/3 innings, he had an ERA of 3.77 with 83 strikeouts, 30 walks, 1.319 WHIP, and an ERA+ of 105. He also pitched brilliantly in the Wild Card and Divisional rounds, not allowing a run in three and 2/3 innings.

Although Garrett was expected to be a big part of the Mets' bullpen in 2025, things have not gone the way David Stearns and company had hoped. While things looked good at the start of the season, things have fallen off the rails for Garrett. So much so, the Mets can no longer trust him to get outs in high-leverage spots. But what has caused him to struggle so much?

Reed Garrett has pitched himself out of the circle of trust

So far this season, Garrett has an ERA of 3.90 over 55 1/3 innings with 64 strikeouts, 26 walks, a 1.319 WHIP, and an ERA+ of 104. While these numbers don't look terrible, they are being held up by his strong start to the season. Since the start of the second half, he has an ERA of 6.11 in 17 2/3 innings with 23 strikeouts, six walks, a 1.30 WHIP, and a FIP of 3.94. Not exactly the numbers you want from someone you considered a trusted reliver.

A big problem Garrett has had is his inability to hold inherited runners. This season, he has held only 49.5% of runners on base and 38.5% of runners in scoring position. The only success he seems to have is when he enters a clear inning. However, to be a trusted reliever, he must be someone you can rely on, regardless of the situation. If the situation has to be perfect for Garrett, then he's not someone you can trust out of the pen.

Opposing batters are also making much better contact off Reed than they did last season. Hitters have a hard-hit percentage of 40.8, compared to 37.1 last season. But the most drastic difference has been the Launch Angle Sweet Spot. Last year, hitters found the "sweet spot" 28% of the time; however, this season it has jumped to 36.1%. This means that hitters are making contact that produces a great launch angle at a much higher rate than last season. Resulting in extra-base hits and runs to score.

It also does not help that Garrett has a minor league option with several minor leaguers showing they deserve a shot. Pitchers like Dylan Ross, Kevin Herget, and Chris Devenski have all had strong seasons in Triple-A Syracuse. Herget and Devenski have also been servicable in the majors as well. If the Mets want to bring in a fresh arm or give one of these guys a shot, Garrett is the easiest player to move.

If the Mets want to make the postseason in 2025, then Garrett can't be on the roster. You can't have a reliever who is constantly losing games and giving up runs.