Mets biggest deadline need is even more glaring after latest brutal injury update

The New York Mets are raging hot right now. They won their fifth straight, defeating the Atlanta Braves on Thursday to pull within just 0.5 games of Atlanta for the top Wild Card spot in the NL. Who would've thought that would've been possible when they were as many as 11 games under .500 in May?

The vibes only got better when Mets fans saw the tweet they had been waiting for. Kodai Senga, the team's ace who had been sidelined all season long with injury, was finally activated off of the IL. He's starting Friday's game in what should be a packed Citi Field.

Reading further down on the tweet is where the bad news kicked in. Senga is back, but the Mets lost arguably their most effective reliever right now, Dedniel Nunez, who is headed to the IL. The bullpen was already a weakness, but their list of relievers on the IL is very lengthy now. Adding was a must, and is now a greater need.

Mets need bullpen help now more than ever after Dedniel Nunez injury

Both Brooks Raley and Drew Smith, a pair of very solid relief options, are out for the season with injuries. Sean Reid-Foley, Reed Garrett, and now Nunez are also on the IL, having suffered injuries within the last month. Reid-Foley and Garrett were both important pieces to this Mets bullpen, but Nunez has been a saving grace for New York.

In 24 appearances, the right-hander has a 2.43 ERA in 33.1 innings of work. Not only has he gone multiple innings on several occasions, but Nunez has solidified himself as the primary set-up man in front of Edwin Diaz. With the bullpen already so thin, losing him is a huge deal.

The Mets bullpen ranks 17th in the majors with a 4.04 ERA and is tied for the ninth-most blown saves with 16 entering Friday's action. That doesn't sound dreadful, but they're 27th in the majors with a 4.54 bullpen ERA since May 1. The bullpen was stellar in April, but has been brutal since, and that's with Nunez establishing himself after the first month of the year.

As of now, the only relievers who should be guaranteed roster spots past the deadline are Diaz, Phil Maton, and Jose Butto. That's it. That shows how dire the situation is. Guys like Nunez, Reid-Foley, and Garrett would qualify as well if they were healthy, but the need for multiple relievers is clear.

The Mets have the momentum to not only make the postseason, but potentially make a deep run if the right moves are made. Addressing the bullpen was already a must, but the urgency must be heightened now after the Mets lost a bullpen arm of Nunez's caliber for however long he's expected to be out.