Mets need to strengthen bullpen with big free agents available

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has addressed his team’s lineup this offseason (see Juan Soto) and starting rotation (see Sean Manaea, Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas).

To date, the bullpen hasn’t been touched beyond the collection of largely unproven arms who have been signed or claimed off waivers.

The known quantities include Edwin Diaz, Reed Garrett, Sean Reid-Foley and Jose Butto (if he doesn’t return to starting). Dedniel Nunez also pitched at a high level before a late-season elbow injury sidelined him. Lefty Danny Young was successful for a stretch but faded late in the season. Huascar Brazoban is another wild card.

In short, there is room for additional talent.

The market remains flooded with proven relievers. The key, of course, is trying to decipher which stocks are rising and declining in a usually volatile sector.

A look at some of the bigger names still available:

Tanner Scott: The lefty is the premier reliever available in free agency, and would require a significant financial commitment. There is much to like about Scott, who yielded the lowest average exit velocity (84.3 mph) in MLB last season while pitching for the Marlins and Padres. A right/left combo of Diaz and Scott in the late innings would be scary for opponents.

Jeff Hoffman: After a largely mediocre career, the right-hander has thrived the past two seasons with the Phillies. Has Hoffman peaked, or is there more in the tank? Last season, his chase, whiff and strikeout percentages were all in elite territory, with a wipeout slider serving as his weapon of choice.

David Robertson: The ageless wonder rebounded last season following an ugly two-month stint with the Marlins in 2023 after the Mets traded him.

Robertson, who turns 40 in April, pitched to a 3.00 ERA in 60 appearances last season with the Rangers.

The right-hander has succeeded in New York with both the Yankees and Mets, and his crossover ability in handling righties and lefties is appealing.

Kenley Jansen: The right-hander has a chance to reach 500 career saves if he remains a closer and performs at a decent level for the next two seasons. Would the 37-year-old be willing to sacrifice a shot at reaching that plateau by likely pitching in a setup role for the Mets?

Jansen isn’t the dominant force of his Dodgers days but still can bring it. He pitched to a 3.29 ERA with 27 saves last season for the Red Sox.

Kirby Yates: He had a career season last year at age 37. The right-hander pitched to a 1.17 ERA with 33 saves in 61 appearances for the Rangers to finish eighth in the American League Cy Young Award voting.

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Yates’ 35.9-percent strikeout rate ranked in MLB’s 98th percentile, but his walk rate of 11.8 percent was among the worst.

Chris Martin: The veteran right-hander had a drop-off last year after consecutive dominant seasons with the Dodgers and Red Sox, but he still pitched to a respectable 3.45 ERA in 45 appearances.

Martin’s success stems from limiting walks and frustrating opponents with his cutter.

Craig Kimbrel: Was last season an aberration, or is the nine-time All-Star finally done? Kimbrel pitched to a 5.33 ERA in 57 appearances for the Orioles. Rough outings in four of his five appearances to finish the season contributed to the 36-year-old Kimbrel’s ugly overall numbers.

Still intriguing is his ability to get hitters to swing and miss. Kimbrel’s 30.9-percent whiff rate ranked in MLB’s 85th percentile.

Paul Sewald: After three straight strong seasons, the former Mets reliever was a disappointment last year, pitching to a 4.31 ERA in 42 appearances for the Diamondbacks. The 35-year-old Sewald saw a drop-off in his four-seam fastball velocity from 92.2 to 91.4 mph.

Brooks Raley: The lefty underwent reconstructive elbow surgery in May that figures to keep him sidelined for at least half the season. But Raley was effective in his Mets tenure and could be worth retaining with an eye toward the stretch run.

Tommy Kahnle: The Mets haven’t been shy about acquiring players with Yankees backgrounds, and the right-hander certainly fits that mold.

Last season, Kahnle appeared in 50 games for the Yankees and pitched to a 2.11 ERA. Kahnle has thrived using his changeup to induce weak contact.