10 best relief pitchers in New York Mets history

8) Best relief pitcher in Mets franchise history - Jeurys Familia                     

Jeurys Familia was signed by the Mets in 2007 as a non-drafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic, reaching the major league club during the 2012 season. Although used mostly as a starting pitcher in the minors, Familia’s major league appearances were almost exclusively in relief. When Mets closer Jenrry Mejia was suspended by major League baseball, Familia became the team’s closer and led the Mets to the 2015 World Series, finishing with 43 saves and an ERA of 1.85.

Familia’s 2016 season was even better as he set a Mets single season record with 51 saves. He represented the Mets at the 2016 All Star game and lead the team to the postseason for the second consecutive year as a Wild Card entrant.

His 2017 season was shortened by both a suspension and an injury requiring a season ending operation. With the Mets out of the playoff picture in late 2018, Familia was traded to Oakland. He was then resigned by the Mets the following year but was used basically in a set-up role.

Jeurys Familia has often been judged more by what he didn’t accomplish than what he did. He gave up a three run homer to Conor Gillaspie in the ninth inning of the Mets 3-0 2016 Wild Card game loss to San Francisco. He failed to convert save opportunities in games 1, 4, and 5 of the 2015 World Series. But with the Mets’ single season record of 51 saves along with 122 total saves to show for his career in New York, he also experienced quite a bit of success.

7) Best relief pitcher in Mets franchise history - Roger McDowell    

Roger McDowell was drafted by the Mets in 1982 as a starting pitcher but an injury to his elbow would limit his number of innings and helped convert him into a relief pitcher. He was promoted to the major league club in 1985, first as a middle innings relief pitcher and later as a closer. He combined with Jesse Orosco and later with Randy Myers as a lefty/righty duo at the back end of the Mets bullpen and was a critical contributor to the Mets 1986 world championship.  

McDowell would often pitch more than one inning and his ground ball inducing sinker helped the team get out of many a late innings jam. During his five seasons in New York, he contributed 84 saves and 33 wins while pitching almost exclusively in relief. He was traded to Philadelphia in 1989.

Roger McDowell was a fan favorite due to both his success on the field and his happy-go-lucky attitude off it. A renown prankster, he would surprise teammates in the dugout with firecrackers under their seat or giving a hot foot.  His personality would also result in several appearances on television.

6) Best relief pitcher in Mets franchise history - Armando Benitez  

Armando Benitez came to the Mets in a trade with Baltimore in 1999. Initially serving as a set up man, he became the closer due to an injury to John Franco and held that role for the better part of five seasons. He ranks second behind John Franco on the Mets all-time saves list at 160. Benitez helped the Mets to the World Series in 2000. He won the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year in 2001 and his 43 saves that year stood as the Mets single season record for the next 15 years. He also represented the Mets at the 2003 All Star game.

Armand Benitez is perhaps known more for what he didn’t accomplish. He failed to protect a one run lead in the eighth inning against Arizona in game 4 of the 1999 NLDS. He let a three run lead slip away in Game 2 of the 2000 NLDS against San Francisco and couldn’t protect the lead in Game 1 of the 2000 World Series. He unfortunately gained a reputation for not being a big game or postseason pitcher.

Benitez had 289 saves in a 15 year career spent almost exclusively as a closer, placing him at number 32 on the all-time MLB list.

5) Best relief pitcher in Mets franchise history - Billy Wagner           

Billy Wagner signed a four year contract with the Mets as a free agent in 2006. He had an immediate impact with 40 saves while striking out 94 batters in 72.1 innings. This helped the team advance all the way to game seven of the NLCS.

Wagner had continued success with 34 saves in 2007 and 27 saves in 2008. But in 2008, he tore a ligament in his elbow requiring major surgery. He would miss the latter part of that season and almost all of 2009. With the Mets unable to find a replacement from within, they went out and signed Francisco Rodriquez to be their new closer while Billy Wagner was traded to Boston.

Billy Wagner only spent parts of four seasons with the Mets, but those seasons included 101 saves, two All-Star game appearances and one trip to the postseason. His 422 career saves places him sixth on the all-time MLB list.

4) Best relief pitcher in Mets franchise history - Edwin Diaz              

It’s hard to factor Edwin Diaz into a list of players who already have the accomplishments of a long career. Diaz is coming off a season where he was most likely the best closer in the league if not in all of baseball. There could come a day in the very near future where he sits at the top this list. At only age 28, the sky is the limit.

However, let’s also take a look at the contrary opinion. With very few exceptions, closers usually have very short shelf life at the top of their game. In 2018 Diaz became the youngest pitcher to collect 50 saves on his way to 57 that year. He already has 205 career saves, 96 of those with the Mets.

Edwin Diaz recently signed a five year, $102 million contract to remain with the Mets. Last year while on his way to his second All Star game appearance, Diaz struck out an amazing 118 batters in only 62 innings. His 657 strike outs in 399.1 innings is nothing short of amazing. There is no reason to think that his career won’t continue at its present course.

3) Best relief pitcher in Mets franchise history - Tug McGraw           

Tug McGraw signed with the Mets in 1964 as an amateur free agent. In 1965 he made the leap to the Mets after only one minor league season. He struggled at first as a starting pitcher going 2-7 in 1965 and 2-9 in 1966. After beginning the 1967 season 0-3, he was sent to the minors where he spent the remainder of that year and all of 1968. McGraw returned to the Mets in 1969 as a relief pitcher and was here to stay.

McGraw was a mainstay of the Mets bullpen on their way to the 1969 World Series Championship and the 1973 National League pennant. He had 86 saves to go with 40 wins in an era when relief pitchers were often asked to pitch several innings at a time. He experienced some arm trouble in 1974 so after the season the Mets decided to trade him to Philadelphia, where he would pitch an additional ten seasons.

At a team meeting on July 9, 1973, Mets’ chairman of the board M. Donald Grant tried to give a pep talk to the team, telling them that they can still win as long as they believe in themselves. Tug grabbed on to this thought and began shouting, “You gotta believe! You gotta believe!” Grant was unpopular at this time and there are some who say that this was merely sarcasm on Tug’s part, but it stuck and became their rallying cry. It took them all the way to the World Series.

2) Best relief pitcher in Mets franchise history - Jesse Orosco           

Who doesn’t remember Jesse Orosco, throwing his glove to the sky as Gary Carter jumped into his arms as the last out was recorded, securing the Mets 1986 World Series Championship? Orosco was a mainstay of the Mets bullpen throughout most of the 1980’s. In parts of 8 seasons, he saved 107 games and while contributing an additional 45 wins pitching in relief.

Jesse Orosco celebrated the Mets Banner day on July 31, 1983, by winning both games of a double-header against the Pirates in extra-inning walk-off style, becoming only the third Mets pitcher to win two games in one day..

If the game was on the line, Jesse Orosco was usually in the game. He on the mound for the last out as the Mets defeated Houston in the 1986 NLCS and then when they defeated Boston in the World Series. He and Roger McDowell shared the closer duties that year as a righty/lefty duo with each one saving over 20 games.

1) Best relief pitcher in Mets franchise history - John Franco                     

John Franco’s career reads like the history of the New York Mets. A local boy, he graduated from Lafayette High School in Brooklyn, St. John’s University in Queens, and he lived in Staten Island. Franco was traded to the Mets in 1989. He would spend the better part of his next 15 years there. Franco served as the Mets closer throughout most of the 1990’s before becoming the set up man later in his career.

Franco won the 1990 NL Rolaids Relief Man Award and twice led the league in saves. He saved 276 games for the Mets on his way to a career total of 424, putting him fifth on the all time MLB list. His 1119 appearances is a National League record that still stands..

I can quote numbers about John Franco all day. The important thing to know is what he meant to his teammates and to the team in general. The players always knew that John Franco had their backs. Franco is one of only four men to serve as captain of the New York Mets, making him forever in the company of David Wright, Keith Hernandez, and Gary Carter.

Today John Franco serves as a community ambassador for the Mets. While he may not have garnered the notoriety of other closers of his era, he is considered to be one of the best closers in the history of baseball and the greatest Mets closer of all time.