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5 pitchers who failed to turn into aces with the Mets

By Jake Mozarsky |
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Cincinnati Reds v New York Mets / Jim McIsaac/GettyImages
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Over the team's history, the New York Mets have not had a shortage of good pitchers. The Mets have had many aces over the years, ranging from Tom Seaver to Dwight Gooden to Jacob deGrom. Along with the seven Cy Young awards that Mets pitchers have won, there have been many notable players not to win the award that still qualified as an ace.

But, there are also many pitchers the Mets have had that did not turn into an ace. Though they radiated potential, whether it was from having a good first few starts or coming over in a trade, they were never able to make it as an ace in New York. The expectations were high, but the results were not.

There are many Mets that can fall into this category, as the team has had many pitchers, dating back to the Seaver-era, who had potential to be an ace but never turned into one. Whether it was because of injuries, lack of stability or just not performing well, some pitchers did not turn into what the Mets, and their fans, hoped they could be.

Let's dive into a few of the pitchers who flashed this ace-potential, but during their time in New York and beyond were never able to match it. There were sky-high expectations for each as a Met, but none were able to live up to it. Let's start with a more recent one.

Why Steven Matz never turned into a Mets ace

In 2015, Steven Matz entered the big leagues with a bang: along with earning a win, he tallied three hits and four RBI. This was the start of a promising career for Matz, who ended the regular season with a 4-0 record and 2.27 ERA. Matz was also serviceable as the fourth pitcher for the Mets in their run to the World Series that year.

But, in the following years, Matz was not able to replicate what had fans calling him a possible ace. He dealt with many injuries during his time in New York that kept him off the field, and when he was on, he was never the same. His ERA in a season was never below 3.40 and he only had two years with a winning record in 2016 and 2019. Matz never became the top pitcher that the Mets were hoping for, and it ended with an 0-5 record and 9.68 ERA in 2020.

After leaving New York, Matz was decent for a year with the Braves, having a 14-7 record and 3.82 ERA, and is now in his second year with the St. Louis Cardinals. In all of these places, though, Matz has not been the top pitcher he was once believed to be.

Paul Wilson never lived up to the Mets' expectations

When the Mets selected Wilson with the first overall pick in the 1994 MLB draft, he was meant to be one of New York's best pitchers for years to come. Wilson, along with Bill Pulsipher and Jason Isringhausen, were supposed to change New York's pitching woes. The three were deemed "Generation K."

But, after pitching over 186 innings in the minor leagues in 1994 and 1995, Wilson arrived to the MLB as an older product. IN one full season with the Mets (26 starts), he had a record of 5-12 with an ERA of 5.38. He suffered a shoulder injury before the 1997 season and did not pitch again in the MLB until 2000. But, 1996 was his only season with the Mets.

What led to Wilson's career being sidetracked? The main reason is injuries and overuse. Between pitching a ton in the minor leagues, to dealing with right arm tendonitis his one year as a Met, to the shoulder injury that essentially ended his career in New York, Wilson was never able to put it together.

He was at the forefront of Generation K and what happened was disappointing, to say the least.

Bill Pulsipher had a unique Mets story

Next up is another Generation K, Bill Pulsipher. Pulsipher, who was selected by New York in 1991, was named the Mets' Minor League Player of the Year in 1994, only raising the expectations the team had for him. After winning this accolade, he pitched 218 innings in the minor leagues the next season at the age of 21.

Even with this overuse, Pulsipher started his major league career well: in 17 starts for the Mets during the 1995 season, he posted a 3.98 ERA and 1.6 fWAR. But, this is when his career took a turn for the worse, as in 1996, he underwent Tommy John surgery that kept him out the entire season.

Though injuries were part of it, it did not make up for all of Pulspiher's struggles. As he worked his way back, Pulsipher was dealing with extreme anxiety which turned into bouts of depression. This derailed his career with the Mets and in the MLB, and he played professionally in many countries across the world.

He has become a major advocate for mental health as well, expressing its importance and saying resources need to be provided. The expectations for him and other Generation K pitchers to become an ace never came to fruition, and for Pulsipher, there were both physical and mental things that caused his MLB career not to be what it seemed.

How Tim Leary's Mets trajectory plummeted

Leary was selected second overall by the Mets in the 1979 MLB draft with the hopes that he could be the team's number one pitcher for years to come. In his first season with the organization, Leary won the Most Valuable Player of the Texas League. The expectations were high for the youngster.

In the spring of 1981, Leary continued to overpower most of the hitters he faced, including many MLB veterans. It made it hard for the Mets to leave him in the minors, so GM Frank Cashen decided to put Leary on the 25-man roster. He made his major league debut at Wrigley Field in Chicago in 1981.

But, this is where the positive vibes ended for the pitcher. Just seven batters in, Leary felt a strong pain in his elbow and was pulled out of the game. Four days later, he was placed on the injured list, and he wouldn't throw another pitch in the MLB for 30 months.

In his next two seasons with the Mets in 1983 and 1984, Leary was not the same pitcher that many thought could be an ace. He only started two games in 1983 and 7 in 1984, where hehad a 3.38 and 4.02 ERA respectively. Then, in 1985, he was shipped to the Kansas City Royals.

Leary, who got called the next Tom Seaver, had an injury that derailed his career and his promise.

Bill Denehy showed tons of promise for the Mets

Denehy was able to break into the major leagues at only the age of 21, as he impressed in the minors since the Mets drafted him. In 1965, Denehy led the New York Penn League in wins, and after, won nine out of 11 decisions in AA Williamsport.

With these accolades, Denehy had similar expectations to another Mets youngster: Tom Seaver. The two were considered the front of the Mets' lineup for years to come. In his New York debut, he only let up two earned runs, but the Mets were shutout.

In his early Mets career, Denehy went 0-4 with a 3.47 ERA, but, on May 3 1967, he tore his rotator cuff against the San Francisco Giants. Still, he was pitching for New York both in relief as a starter, though the injury was affecting his throwing. Soon enough, Denehy was 1-7 with a 4.50 ERA in 15 appearances; he was sent down to the minor leagues.

The Mets ended up trading Denehy for to-be-manager Gil Hodges. He remains one of the only players to be traded for a manager.

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