1 upcoming Mets free agent who can redeem himself in the postseason
Lost in much of the discussion about the upcoming New York Mets free agents is the status of relief pitcher Trevor May. Closer Edwin Diaz has taken over much of the talk about the relievers. Even Seth Lugo and Trevor Williams have more of our mental space than May.
There’s a simple explanation for it. May missed most of the 2022 campaign. In 2021, he was also just good and not great. This year’s performance hasn’t been anything spectacular either.
May was one of the first players to sign with the Mets in the first offseason under Steve Cohen. Meant for the role of a late-inning and high-leverage arm they could turn to, it’s this postseason when May can redefine his tenure with the Mets. A huge postseason from him and everything changes.
Mets reliever Trevor May has a reputation and a contract on the line
Because relievers do bounce around a lot in free agency, we should already expect May to leave this offseason. The Mets have a ton of decisions to make in regards to their bullpen. While it’s not evidently clear they should let him walk, it’s just a trend we see around the league.
May is definitely going to need to showcase his best stuff this October to earn himself the best contract possible. It’s in these big situations he could enter where teams could view him as nothing but another right-handed reliever or the guy they want in the seventh or eighth inning for a championship push in 2023 and maybe beyond.
May has fallen behind Adam Ottavino on the depth chart as much as the more-veteran righty has passed him. Right now, we can probably lump May in alongside Lugo or maybe a few hairs behind. There just haven’t been enough innings out of him to really know what we might get in the playoffs.
The postseason is always a time for players like May to help redeem any doubts. It’s not always the best pitchers who shine. In recent World Series, non-closers like Brad Peacock and Tyler Matzek remain standouts.
Is May in line to give the Mets something similar in this postseason and maybe even in the World Series? It’s what they signed him for in the first place.
Now, where’s that clip from Dumb and Dumber of Harry telling Lloyd he has totally redeemed himself?