5 Mets free agent targets to bolster the bullpen who won't cost a whole lot of money

The Mets can steal Pierce Johnson from the Atlanta Braves

Pierce Johnson was not an efficient pitcher this season with the Colorado Rockies in the first part of the year. During his time at Coors Field, his ERA averaged 6.49, allowing seven home runs in 34 innings pitched.

However, after his transfer to the Atlanta Braves, Pierce managed to post a microscopic ERA of 0.76 with 32 strikeouts in 23.1 innings pitched with the Braves. This resulted in his K% sitting at 32.5% on the season right in the top 4% of the entire MLB.

A responsible part of Johnson's success with the Atlanta Braves was the use of his curveball which he used almost 60% of the time, generating a 40% swing and miss with his 2943 spin rate. These adjustments caused Johnson to lower his ERA from around 6.00 to 4.02 to close the season.

Johnson is not a young pitcher as he is set to enter free agency at age 33 this offseason. This and his results in the recent past with Colorado may limit his value in the market, making him an opportunity pitcher for the Mets due to his ability to generate strikeouts and be effective in high-leverage situations.