A lot has gone wrong for the New York Mets lately in their stretch of 10 losses in their last 11 games, but nothing about this team is more concerning than the performance of the bullpen. Once viewed as a strength, New York's bullpen has a 6.60 ERA in this 11-game span, the third-worst mark in the majors. Edwin Diaz has continued to pitch well, and Jose Butto has turned his season around, but just about everyone else has faltered. For the Mets to get where they want to go, they're going to have to add to their bullpen. That's where Aroldis Chapman can come into the equation.
Mets fans won't love the idea of adding Chapman to the mix for several reasons. First and foremost, Chapman has been suspended in the past for his role in a domestic violence incident. Additionally, Chapman spent parts of seven seasons with the New York Yankees, he's never fared particularly well against the Mets, and he's had his share of postseason lowlights.
While Chapman's past is certainly not one to take lightly, he's in the middle of an outstanding season for the Boston Red Sox. If he's available, he'd be a great fit in this Mets bullpen, as ESPN's Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel noted by listing New York as one of Chapman's three best fits.
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Aroldis Chapman might be the best reliever available
Chapman has appeared in 36 games for the Red Sox and has a 1.36 ERA in 33 innings of work. He's struck out 48 batters while issuing only 10 walks on the season. Despite being 37 years old, Chapman has averaged 99.2 mph with his fastball, ranking in the 98th percentile according to Baseball Savant, and he's generated a whopping 51.4 percent whiff rate with his slider. When he isn't blowing fastballs or sinkers by the opposition, he's catching batters off balance with his off-speed stuff.
With the season he's had, Chapman might be the most sought-after reliever at the deadline. His contract is pretty cheap and expires after this season, and he's throwing the ball as well as he ever has.
While acquiring the best reliever available might not always seem like the best strategy considering what it'll cost, he's exactly what the Mets need.
Aroldis Chapman is exactly what the Mets bullpen needs
In the span of just a couple of days, the Mets lost both of their left-handed relievers, A.J. Minter and Danny Young, to season-ending injuries. They signed Brooks Raley to give them some depth, but he's coming off Tommy John Surgery and is currently on a rehab assignment. Who knows how he'll perform? They've acquired other southpaws like Jose Castillo and Richard Lovelady along the way, but they were both DFA'd on Wednesday. Chapman happens to be left-handed.
Not only does Chapman throw with his left hand, but he's held left-handed hitters to a .148/.148/.296 slash line this season, allowing just four hits in 27 at-bats. He's been as good, if not better, against righties, but Chapman is a left-hander that the Mets can realistically trust against guys like Shohei Ohtani, Bryce Harper, and Matt Olson in a big spot.
Chapman fills the team's need to add another late-game weapon, and he'd add a much-needed left-hander to the mix. He might cost a lot, his past is far from preferable, and it is far from a given that the Red Sox would even trade him, but he'd be a great addition to a bullpen that needs fortifying.