Mets Should Beef up Bullpen With Tim Hill if They Don't Add Another Starter

The Mets have been interested in Yankees free agent lefty reliever Tim Hill. They should seriously consider adding him to their bullpen even after re-signing Ryne Stanek.

Pat Ragazzo | Feb 2, 2025

Oct 14, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Tim Hill (54) pitches during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians in game one of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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The New York Mets have a pretty solid bullpen on paper, but they should still go above and beyond to make the unit a force.

Right-hander Ryne Stanek was re-signed on a one-year, $4.5 million deal with $500K in incentive opportunities and lefty A.J. Minter jumped ship from the NL East rival Atlanta Braves for a two-year, $22 million contract.

The Mets have been monitoring the starting pitching market and have discussed one-year rental arms Dylan Cease and Michael King with the San Diego Padres. But King reached an arbitration settlement with the Padres on Friday and the asking price for Cease is said to be high.

Sources: Mets have spoken to the Padres about Dylan Cease and Michael King who are available via trade

Braves, among others, are also interested in both arms

Details: https://t.co/66zarVrJ63
— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) January 29, 2025

Starting pitching is always expensive and the Mets have a ton of depth in their expected six-man rotation. They would likely have to move a starter via trade if they make a move to acquire one.

It's possible that could happen. But an easier route would be to just stack the bullpen by signing southpaw Tim Hill, who had a big year with the cross-town rival Yankees in 2024.

The tricky part about a six-man rotation is that there is only room for seven arms in the bullpen as the No. 6 starter would be utilized as a swingman.

That said, the Mets figure to give six bullpen spots to the following: closer Edwin Diaz, Minter, Stanek, Jose Butto, Dedniel Nunez and Reed Garrett. Sean Reid-Foley and Danny Young could compete for the final spot in spring training and Tylor Megill, Paul Blackburn and Griffin Canning will be fighting for the No. 6 starter gig.

Blackburn, however, underwent cerebrospinal fluid leak repair surgery in October, which has a typical recovery timeline of 4-5 months so his status at the beginning of the season is in question.

Megill only has one more minor league option left so his situation could be difficult too as an arm who has shown plenty of promise in his career as a fill-in starter. This may be worth keeping him around as a long reliever/swingman as well.

Butto is out of options, which is why he is likely to remain as a long reliever, a role he was more than solid in for a majority of 2024.

The other complication is that the Mets will want to keep at least two of these three arms fully stretched out.

So back to Hill; the left-hander is a veteran hurler the Mets were in the mix for before bringing back Stanek earlier in the week. It's unknown if they remain interested after retaining Stanek, but they should be.

The Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks all like Hill. The Yankees and Hill have mutual interest in a reunion.

Source: Free agent lefty reliever Tim Hill is drawing interest from the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rockies and Angels

There’s mutual interest on a reunion with the Yankees who remain in the mix, as do the Mets who are searching for another reliever
— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) January 28, 2025

The Mets also plucked assistant pitching coach Desi Druschel from the Yankees, who was at the forefront of Hill's reclamation last season.

Hill, 34, isn't a hard thrower but he induces weak contact and has a deceptive delivery. He is also big stage and high-leverage tested, posting a 2.05 ERA with the Yankees in the regular season and a 1.08 ERA in the postseason.

A four-headed monster of Diaz closing games with Minter, Stanek and Hill setting him up will only further enhance Mets manager Carlos Mendoza's ability to navigate his bullpen in the late-innings.

The Mets also like righty Ryan Brasier who was designated for assignment by the Dodgers earlier in the week.

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