Mets Swing Trade For Reliever To Bolster Bullpen For 2023 Playoff Run

New York adds a veteran arm in the bullpen

Scott Neville | Jun 2, 2023

Margaret Kispert/The Register vis USA TODAY Sports Images

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The New York Mets are not waiting around for the Major League Baseball trade deadline to bolster their bullpen.

The current Mets bullpen is average at best, ranking No. 18 in the league with a 4.15 ERA. While the front office did not splurge for an All-Star caliber arm, they did make a move to add some depth.

"The Mets have traded for right-handed reliever Vinny Nittoli from the (Chicago) Cubs," MLB.com's Anthony DiComo tweeted Friday. "He was in limbo after opting out of his minor league contract yesterday. Will go on the Mets' 40-man roster but can be optioned."

Nittoli posted a 3.48 ERA with a 22-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .228 batting average against and 1.21 WHIP in 20 2/3 innings for Triple-A Iowa this season.

The 32-year-old journeyman features a low 90s fastball with a steady dose of sliders and curveballs as well.

Nittoli only has three innings pitched at the MLB level, two with the Philadelphia Phillies last season and one with the Seattle Mariners in 2021.

It is unknown whether the Mets will put him on the active roster temporarily or send him to Triple-A Syracuse initially but his role moving forward will be in the minors to serve as a reserve arm if a member of the big league bullpen sustains an injury.

Until then, Nittoli will not have much of an impact, if any.

Published Jun 2, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville is the publisher of Inside The Red Sox and Inside The Cardinals, as seen on Sports Illustrated. Before running his own sites, Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join FanNation and the Sports Illustrated Media Group as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." Now Neville is adding the New York market to his arsenal as well as Boston and St. Louis. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu