3 Mets pitchers who could compete for the Seth Lugo role in 2023

Mets pitcher Yennsy Diaz is in a similar position

Another former starter for the Toronto Blue Jays on the farm, Yennsy Diaz is another guy to consider for a high-leverage, multi-inning role in the future. He has a little bit further to go than Reid-Foley. At least SRF had some sustained success even if it was only a small number of games.

The Mets do seem committed to making Diaz a reliever rather than providing him with chances to start. Even during his stay in Triple-A last year, Diaz only pitched in relief. While with the Blue Jays organization, it was rare for him to come out of the bullpen.

With this in mind, I’m willing to cut him a break for performing poorly at the major league and minor league levels last year. There’s a big adjustment to going from starting to relieving. Fortunately, getting caught in the middle makes you a great candidate to do what Lugo has for so many years.

Heading into this season, it’s up to Diaz to show the club he can handle this role. He may not be destined for anything like Lugo. He’ll have the 2022 campaign to change our minds. Only then can he position himself for much more responsibilities with the Mets in the coming season(s).