One of the better options is being considered by the Mets, who could use another lefty in the bullpen.
Rumors about the New York Mets have been abounding in recent days. Leaks to appease a growingly irate fan base? The good news is that the Mets might be looking for some more reliable bullpen support, despite how they’ve sprung.
The name Matt Moore is the most recent rumored. The former starter has successfully transitioned into a left-handed reliever. Moore would be a welcome addition to the Mets pitching rotation after a season in which he played for three teams, initially with the Los Angeles Angels, akin to Lucas Giolito.
Right now, the only left-handed pitcher in the Mets’ bullpen is Brooks Raley. For a spring dogfight, David Stearns has aggressively brought in a large number of righties. The Mets should have added a southpaw long ago.
Matt Moore is a component that the Mets bullpen is lacking.
The bullpen is by far the worst position on the Mets squad. For Opening Day, we can look forward to the signings of Yohan Ramirez, Jorge Lopez, and Michael Tonkin from the summer. Austin Adams and other competitors are also available. They all belong to the shrug group, where nobody is really sure what they can give.
Moore is not as enigmatic. He’s still new to the relief position, but he’s not the same as the motley crew that was put together earlier. Following his switch to the bullpen, his first notable success came in 2022 with the Texas Rangers, where he posted a 1.95 ERA. The follow-up, a 2.56 ERA with the Miami Marlins, Cleveland Guardians, and Angels, proved he is a value purchase.
In terms of statistics, Moore’s season in 2023 differed significantly from that of 2022. There was some of the same wildness in his first year as a reliever that hurt him as a starter. By giving up just three home runs over the season, he made up for it.
In 2023, a few more gopher balls were served, but the total of seven is hardly cause for concern. In fact, his walk rate dropping from 4.6 per 9 to 2.6 per 9 is encouraging despite an increase in ERA. Moore has had an ERA that is about a full run higher than his actual one over the past two seasons, so fans of FIP may want to steer clear of him.
Still, it’s a rather simple decision to go with Josh Walker over an experienced pitcher who has appeared for four different clubs in the past two seasons. Maybe persuading Moore that the Mets are the place to be is the difficult part. Don’t let him use Mets Twitter.