12 relievers the Mets should target ahead of the trade deadline

4) NY Mets trade target Anthony Bass

Anthony Bass has been one of the more underrated relievers in baseball for a few years now.

In 26 appearances, Bass has pitched 26 innings. He’s allowed 21 hits, six earned runs, six walks, and struck out 24 batters. His ERA is 2.08, his FIP is 2.48, his WHIP is 1.04, and his ERA+ is 201. He’s been excellent for the Marlins.

Like many of the relievers on this list, he is primarily a two-pitch pitcher. He throws his slider 62% of the time and his sinker 23%. He occasionally mixes in a four-seamer (11%) and his splitter is a rarity (less than 4%).

He excels at limiting hard contact. He is in the 97th percentile in hard hit rate and chase rate, 93rd percentile in average exit velocity, 83rd percentile in xwOBA and xERA, 77th percentile in barrel rate, and 75th percentile in xSLG. He doesn’t allow many walks (77th percentile, 2.1 BB/9), and he’s not a huge strikeout guy 57th percentile, 8.3 K/9), but he also doesn't allow many homers (just one, good for an HR.9 of 0.3).

The downside of Bass is that he’s 34. He does come with one year of control in the form of a club option for 2023, which is worth $3 million, a very reasonable cost for his services. If the Mets really wanted to go big, they could try to acquire Bass and the aforementioned Tanner Scott together.