The New York Mets understand their bullpen isn’t playoff-ready, and with the trade deadline approaching, reinforcements are required.
Their current roster lacks a consistent high-leverage lefty, which could prove expensive down the stretch.
According to CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa, the Mets are keeping a close eye on Minnesota Twins reliever Danny Coulombe.
The 35-year-old southpaw is having one of the best seasons of his career and could be just what New York needs.
Coulombe dominated in 2024 with top efficiency.
Coulombe has a miniscule 0.68 ERA in 26.2 innings this season, which is impressive even in such a small sample size.
His command has been superb, and he’s doing it without walking batters or allowing heavy contact in critical circumstances.
The consistency with which he has stranded inherited runners adds to his excellent performance.
Prior to the All-Star break, Coulombe had a 92% left-on-base percentage, demonstrating outstanding poise in traffic on the bases.
He does more than simply get outs; he puts out fires, which is a skill that few relievers on the Mets’ roster now possess.
Veteran expertise and recent accomplishments add to his value.
Coulombe recorded a 2.12 ERA in 29.2 innings for the Orioles in 2023, demonstrating that previous year’s success was not a fluke.
He missed some time due to injury, but he returned strong, and the velocity and movement on his pitches have been consistent.
Coulombe, who is in his 11th season in the major leagues, combines experience with the late-career polish that teams seek.
He’s not overpowering, but he commands the strike zone and keeps errors to a minimum—characteristics that frequently distinguish decent relievers from great ones.
He might provide much-needed consistency to the Mets bullpen, which has previously been erratic.
His pitch mix gives the Mets something distinctive.
Coulombe isn’t a one-dimensional pitcher; he employs a four-pitch repertoire that lets him to attack batters in a variety of ways.
His cutter and sweeper have been especially effective against lefties, putting them off balance and resulting in weak contact.
The sinker gives him another option for getting ground balls in tight situations, especially with runners on base.
He also throws a four-seam fastball just enough to shift eye levels, keeping batters guessing and avoiding predictability.
This type of versatility is exactly what the Mets might utilize to improve their late-game matchups.
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