Mets starting pitcher depth chart got a little deeper with innings eater Dylan Bundy

Dylan Bundy has joined the New York Mets on a minor league contract to help give the team one more piece to help get them through the 2023 season. Coming off of two straight down seasons in the big leagues, Bundy is coming to a team that already had some solid depth at the position but will have to use it right away.

The Jose Quintana injury has forced the Mets to ask for big innings from Tylor Megill and David Peterson early on. Those two won’t be available in the “push in case of emergency” locker. That’s where Bundy factors into this year.

Where Dylan Bundy falls on the Mets starting pitcher depth chart

Somewhere behind Megill and Peterson and maybe equal to Joey Lucchesi is where we can expect Bundy to find his place with the Mets. As impressive as the starting pitching depth chart is, how much we can trust some of these guys is debatable.

Jose Butto isn’t a frontline prospect who just needs a little more seasoning. A similar sentiment could be said of Elieser Hernandez whose purpose for this year’s team is to give them innings as a long-man and maybe start every once in a while when needed.

Denyi Reyes is still with the Mets for now but with no 40-man roster spot (Bundy won’t have one either to begin the year) we can think of him as more of a project than an actual starter the Mets would put on the mound. The advantage of Bundy is that he has been a proven innings eater. Even last season with the Minnesota Twins he logged 140 frames while going 8-8 with a 4.89 ERA.

Bundy’s best year didn’t come at Polk High School like another famous person with his last name. He actually impressed with the Los Angeles Angels in 2020 by going 6-3 with a 3.29 ERA. The performance earned him a ninth-place finish in the Cy Young race. He put together one of his worst seasons in 2021, finishing 2-9 with a 6.06 ERA.

The Mets can get innings from Bundy and that’s all we should expect. Look for Billy Eppler to consider other players in a similar position for the organization. Having him in a box of ammunition to help the Mets get through any stretches this season when they need starts could come in handy.