Inside The Mets

Underrated Reliever Could Be Mets' Perfect Offseason Trade Target

This reliever could be the final puzzle piece the New York Mets might acquire to make their bullpen elite in 2025.

Grant Young

Aug 8, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks (29) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Aug 8, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Pete Fairbanks (29) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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The New York Mets' bullpen has been solid this postseason.

While the Mets relief corps' 3.82 ERA is technically the worst out of all four MLB teams remaining, it's still a respectable mark and shows an improvement from the 4.03 ERA Mets relievers amassed during the regular season.

Despite this, New York will likely be looking to bolster their bullpen this offseason. Some big-name closers like Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates, Kenley Jansen, and Blake Treinen will all become free agents. However, the Mets already have an elite closer in Edwin Diaz. They need arms who can help get them to Diaz's ninth inning.

David Stearns may also be averse to spending big on a reliever via free agency, to save money for re-signing Pete Alonso and pursuing Juan Soto plus a top-tier starting pitcher.

Therefore, trading for a reliever could be the ideal option. And an October 14 article from Bleacher Report's Joel Rueter conveyed that Tampa Bay Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks may be on the trading block — and he could be a perfect fit for the Mets.

"Fairbanks had a 3.57 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 23 saves in 27 chances last season, and he has 61 saves total over the past four years. However, a lat strain ended his 2024 season prematurely in August, and that opened the door for Edwin Uceta to step into the closer's role," Rueter wrote.

"His team-friendly salary and late-inning experience could make him a hot commodity on the trade block."

Fairbanks was rumored to be a trade deadline target for the Mets by CBS Sports' Mike Axisa back in July.

While the Mets might have to part ways with a few solid prospects to acquire the 30-year-old, his track record of success late in games combined with him being owed less than $3.7 million in 2025 (with a $7 million club option in 2026) would make him a great bargain for New York to improve their bullpen.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.

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