1 roster hole the Mets failed to fix at the deadline

The New York Mets had what I would grade as a C+ deadline. They made some really important improvements, but didn't do as much as I, and I think most Mets fans wanted them to do.

Upgrading the DH spot was something they had to do, and they did in a big way. Darin Ruf and Daniel Vogelbach are both outstanding options against the hand they will be asked to hit against, and are massive upgrades over the likes of J.D. Davis and Dom Smith.

Not getting a catcher was a little disappointing, but I can live with McCann and Nido being elite defensively while the rest of the lineup steps up.

The Mets not addressing the bullpen with another arm, preferably a lefty, was a huge mistake and might lead to their downfall.

The Mets bullpen is not bad. Edwin Diaz has been the best closer in the game. Adam Ottavino has been a revelation this season as a set up guy. Guys like Seth Lugo and Drew Smith when healthy, even with their inconsistencies, are good options to go to in the middle innings.

The Mets acquired Mychal Givens in a trade with the Cubs to sure up the bullpen. This was a good move as he's had a great year and has a history with Buck Showalter, playing under him for three seasons in Baltimore.

Givens is good, the Mets needed more. Someone like Joely Rodriguez who has been underwhelming to say the least, had to be upgraded. I think the Mets know this too, as Buck Showalter turned to David Peterson, a starting pitcher with relatively no experience out of the bullpen, in their latest high leverage chance for a left handed reliever.

Rodriguez has a 5.72 ERA and has walked 6.7 batters per nine. I understand that he limits hard contact, but they need more from a guy who was supposed to be a high leverage arm.

I also understand that the only notable left-handed relievers traded at the deadline were an underperforming Will Smith and a guy the Mets were never going to get in Josh Hader. The price to acquire a left-handed reliever must have been sky high because seemingly all of the guys the Mets were linked to like Andrew Chafin, Gregory Soto, and Joe Mantiply were not moved at all.

Even with no upgrade available for a reasonable price that throws left handed, the Mets had options still. David Robertson has held lefties to a .156/.294/.247 slashline with just one home run allowed this season was available. Just because he doesn't throw left handed doesn't mean he can't get left handed hitters out. The Mets let him go to a division rival for their 26th ranked prospect. The Mets easily could have, and should have beaten that price.

If Robertson wasn't of interest for whatever reason, Jorge Lopez, the former Orioles closer who has broken out this season by making his first all-star team went for a very light package as well. The Twins acquired the right hander in exchange for four underwhelming prospects. Only one of them ranks in the Orioles top 30 prospects. Lopez has two more years of control after this.

The Mets traded Colin Holderman to the Pirates in order to acquire Vogelbach. I thought this was a good move thinking they'd spend the deadline upgrading the bullpen. Givens essentially replaces Holderman. With Drew Smith out with no timetable to return, the Mets inexcusably did not get anyone to fill that spot.

Yes, David Peterson might be an option and Tylor Megill is going to come back as a reliever, but we have no idea how they'll do in the bullpen.

The Mets did and still do have a very real chance of competing for a World Series but a lot will have to go right for that to happen. The reliever market wasn't so bad, the Mets should have jumped at the opportunity to upgrade.