Mets rumored to have an interest in much-needed left-handed bullpen upgrade

New York Mets rumors have been plentiful over the last few days. Leaks to placate an increasingly impatient fanbase? However they've sprung, the good news is the Mets may be in search of some more legitimate bullpen help.

The latest rumored name is Matt Moore. The converted starter has dug his heels onto the mound as a successful left-handed reliever. Coming off a season where he followed the Lucas Giolito route of playing for three teams but with a starting point being with the Los Angeles Angels, Moore would be a welcomed addition to the Mets pitching staff.

As it stands, the Mets only have Brooks Raley throwing from the left side in their bullpen. David Stearns has actively brought in numerous righties for a spring dogfight. It's about time the Mets added a southpaw.

Matt Moore is a missing piece for the Mets bullpen

By far the weakest part of the Mets roster is in the bullpen. Among the offseason additions we can count on for Opening Day are Jorge Lopez, Michael Tonkin, and Yohan Ramirez. Other contenders such as Austin Adams are available, too. All fall into a category of shrug where no one really knows exactly what they can offer.

Moore is a bit less mysterious. While still fresh to a reliever role, he differs from the ragtag bunch assembled previously. His 1.95 ERA with the Texas Rangers in 2022 was the first mark in his favor after transitioning to the bullpen. The sequel, a 2.56 ERA with the Angels, Cleveland Guardians, and Miami Marlins confirmed he’s a worthwhile buy.

Moore’s season was quite a bit different statistically in 2023 in comparison to 2022. Some of the same wildness that damaged him as a starter was present during year one of his reliever journey. He made up for it by allowing only 3 home runs all season. 

A few more gopher balls were served up in 2023, but the 7 total is nothing too be alarmed about. In fact, despite an increase in ERA, his walk rate sinking from 4.6 per 9 down to 2.6 per 9 is promising. Fans of FIP might be detoured from Moore who in the last two seasons has had one about a full run higher than his actual ERA.

Nevertheless, when the choice is between Josh Walker or a veteran who has pitched well for four different teams in two seasons, the choice is pretty easy. The hard part might be convincing Moore that the Mets are the place to be. Keep him off of Mets Twitter.