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There is no question the New York Mets could use some bullpen help. David Stearns has not only said as much, but his actions in the past with Milwaukee have demonstrated how much he values every spot on the 40-man roster. One route to fixing the bullpen would be to stack the 40-man roster with option-eligible relief pitchers to open flexibility for players who need rest. Another route is to sign relievers to multi-year contracts, which is a risk financially given the up-and-down nature of the bullpen.
The last route is to take flyers on players coming off ineffective seasons. To no surprise, there are plenty of former Mets on the free agent market who fit this bill. A one-year contract for a pitcher who has New York experience comes with no risk and much to gain; especially when Steve Cohen is the owner. As Sandy Alderson once said, "There is no such thing as a bad one-year contract". So which low-risk former Mets can help the bullpen in 2024?
1. Aaron Loup
Mets fans remember Aaron Loup as an automatic clean-inning machine; he pitched to just a 0.95 ERA in 56.2 innings in 2021. Think about that- Edwin Diaz wasn't even that good in 2022 and earned $102 million last year in free agency. However, Loup's brilliance with the Mets did not translate with Anaheim the past 2 seasons. He gave up 38 runs in 58 innings in 2022, then pitched to a 6.10 ERA in 48 innings last year. Long story short, we were all wrong to want Loup back after 2021.
After the Angels declined Loup's club option for 2024, he is now a free agent unlikely to receive more than a one-year contract. At age 36 next season, one could make the argument Loup will only receive a spring training invite. The Mets should absolutely reach out to Loup's camp and offer him a chance to make the roster. He never wanted to leave New York in the first place, and we have seen time and time again veteran relief pitchers bounce back after rough seasons. Just remember- Ottavino was mediocre with the Boston Red Sox but excelled for the Mets in 2022.