MIAMI — When the Mets begin the 2023 season Thursday afternoon in Miami, they’ll be doing so without a closer. The club has yet to decide on a replacement for Edwin Diaz and they don’t anticipate doing so anytime soon.
The closer situation might be the biggest storyline and the biggest question for the Mets as the 2023 season gets underway. When general manager Billy Eppler constructed the roster, he placed a heavy emphasis on relievers with experience and success pitching in high-leverage innings. His goal was to build a versatile bullpen with pitchers who could eat multiple innings and make swing starts, as well as pitch in situations where the game is on the line even if a save isn’t.
Eppler added three high-leverage relievers to a group that already had two in Diaz and Drew Smith. That depth will be tested with a demanding schedule right out of the gate. The Mets will play eight games in a row to start the slate.
“When we started spring training, we talked about having five high-leverage relievers. So right now we have four,” Eppler said Wednesday at LoanDepot Park after the Mets worked out ahead of opening day. “We have our eyes on a couple that we think could emerge in that role, but we’ll let the games bear out.”
That group is down to Smith, David Robertson, Brooks Raley and Adam Ottavino. Smith, who emerged as Diaz’s primary setup man last season, doesn’t have any experience in the closer role, but Robertson knows the pressure of pitching in save situations well, having been a closer for the Yankees and Chicago White Sox. Ottavino has 33 saves to his name and he converted a career-high 11 two years ago for the Boston Red Sox. However, he has even more blown saves (38) to his name. Raley, a left-hander, has converted nine.
The bulk of the save opportunities are expected to go to Robertson, but the Mets intend to let the matchups dictate the pitcher usage.
“It depends on how the batting order falls in the eighth and ninth inning, or sometimes the seventh inning,” Showalter said. “Different teams have different construction of their lineup. And you have to look at your bench too because some teams are more apt to pinch-hit earlier in the game. Because we’re carrying so many pitchers in today’s game, your benches are pretty wide open.”
Health is a factor as well.
Showalter said he would pitch Ottavino and Robertson on the same day if it’s deemed necessary to win a game. The Mets aren’t necessarily looking for someone to pitch so well in save situations that they have no choice but to let them keep doing it, though it certainly wouldn’t hurt.
“I think it will evolve,” Showalter said. “I think we all might have kind of have a frontrunner we’re looking at. You’re always looking at somebody who might be a little different than we might have perceived him. We have a couple of those guys.”
Showalter acknowledged that Robertson fits the bill better than the others.
“Obviously, Robbie has probably the strongest background,” the manager said.
The Mets envision right-handers John Curtiss and Tommy Hunter pitching in the middle innings to get to those high-leverage pitchers. Neither one was guaranteed a spot on the team coming into spring training but they both pitched so well in the Grapefruit League that they were able to play their way onto the team.
Stephen Nogosek is also in that middle-innings group and has the ability to go multiple innings. He may be tested as the long man since the Mets never replaced Trevor Williams.
Eppler wanted to put together a complete team, which meant a diverse bullpen. He’s happy with the way the roster is constructed and thinks he brought in enough pitching depth.
“We want to continue to be able to beat teams in a number of ways,” Eppler said. “We can beat teams by starting pitching, by having a competent bullpen and lineup. We want to be able to win games and a lot of different ways.”
The other option is, of course, obtaining a closer. The Mets are unlikely to go after free agent closer Zack Britton, but have been linked to Alexis Diaz, Edwin’s brother. It’s purely speculative, but Alexis is a right-hander for the Cincinnati Reds, and given their non-contender status they’ll be parting with some talent at some point this season.
The Mets have some time to figure out if another closer is what they need. For now, it’s a committee approach based on the matchups.
“We’ll have a little bit of adversity in the bullpen to kind of think through,” Eppler said. “I talked a little bit with Buck about that, and the rest of the coaching staff. We’ll see how that situation presents itself.”
