3 under the radar Mets relief pitcher options in free agency still available

2) Jose Cisnero

Having reliable options in the bullpen that guarantee innings is a fundamental aspect of maintaining a fresh and rested bullpen during a season as long as baseball. The relevance of a bullpen has gained more weight in the current game model, where starting pitchers do not pitch games of many innings.

The experience of pitchers like Jose Cisnero can be useful in the Mets' middle bullpen in 2024. Cisnero ended the 2023 season on the downside after a good first half for the Detroit Tigers.

Despite closing the year with a 5.31 ERA, during the first half of last season, Cisnero posted a 3.44 ERA, with 36 strikeouts in 34 innings pitched. Likewise, his splits show that he managed to dominate left-handed and right-handed hitters, disabling left-handed contact mainly with his slider.

Despite finishing with a high ERA, his advanced and expected metrics show that his xERA stood at 4.64 for the year. This is due to greater use of his slider which generated a swing and misses greater than 33%.

Cisnero could be an important weapon in a Mets bullpen loaded with inexperience and youth. In a one-year, low-value contract, the Mets can count on the experience and innings that a pitcher of this type can provide in 2024.