While most MLB teams are looking for star-studded rotations and flamethrowing aces, the New York Mets are making do with a pitching staff that looks more like the Island of Misfit Toys.
Instead of a train with square wheels or a sinking boat, New York’s rotation includes Clay Holmes and Griffin Canning, a former reliever turned starter and pitcher with the third-highest ERA in MLB last season.
Over the last two years, the Mets have become a haven for undervalued pitchers who are passed over by the rest of the league. When they arrive in New York, they reinvent their arsenal, mechanics, and sequencing using the city’s cutting-edge technology and coaching tactics.
The preliminary results have been nothing short of extraordinary. The Mets starters had the best ERA in the majors entering Saturday, at 2.36, more than a half-run ahead of the second-place Texas Rangers (3.07). New York’s bullpen has also performed admirably this season, with a 2.56 ERA that ranks fourth in the MLB.
The Mets’ dominance on the mound is even more improbable given that Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas, two of the club’s front-end starters, are out due to injuries. Their absence at the top of the rotation has opened the door for Canning, Tylor Megill, and David Peterson, all of whom have ERAs below 3.30.
It has not taken long for word to spread about the Mets’ pitching success. According to Manaea, New York has become the ideal destination for struggling pitchers looking to discover the best version of themselves.
“I think everybody wants to come here,” Manaea told Mirror U.S. Sports exclusively. “That is the goal; we are not looking to be complacent, but to find ways to improve. And that is exactly what happens here.
“If guys want to improve … and are open to that ‘I can be better’ mindset, I think this place is great at finding those things that you’re deficient at and explaining them to you.”
Reed Garrett, a journeyman who went unnoticed in the MLB for a decade before establishing himself as a high-leverage reliever with the Mets in 2024, believes New York cemented itself as a pitchers’ laboratory last season.
Following back-to-back forgettable seasons, Manaea changed his arm angle and relied more heavily on his fastball, per Mets advice. Soon enough, the 33-year-old was pitching like an ace, with a sparkling 3.47 ERA and a 12-6 record.
Along with Manaea, Luis Severino delivered a dominant performance one season after suffering through what he described as the “worst year of my life in baseball.” While throwing more of his 96-mph sinker and unhittable sweeper, the longtime Yankee nearly cut his ERA in half from the previous season, landing a multi-year deal with the Athletics this offseason.
“I think last year was really the first year where guys took a chance,” Garrett told Mirror U.S. Sports. “Seve and Sean, they had incredible years last year. So I believe they laid the groundwork by saying, “Hey man, this is a pretty cool spot.” They are there to help you get on track and discover your true potential.
“Going forward, we’ll see how it plays out, but getting … all the new additions that we got, I think it’s a big benefit for us as an organization to say that we have the ability to find out your true potential.”
While the Mets have been tight-lipped about how they’ve gotten the most out of their pitchers, it’s not surprising given how much money owner Steve Cohen has invested in pitching development.
Because of the team’s pitching lab in Port St. Lucie, Florida, the Mets are at the forefront of MLB in terms of using technology to develop players. With motion sensors, cameras, and the innovative KinaTrax system, coaches can analyze a three-dimensional rendering of pitchers’ skeletons to better understand where they can improve.
“It is definitely interesting. Garrett joked, “It’s not very often you throw a bullpen in your underwear.” “It’s exciting to see how far technology has come and how we can use it.
“That kind of blew me away. But, overall, I believe it is an extremely useful tool. One of the many tools we have available to help us succeed.”
As Manaea pointed out, the high-tech equipment would be useless if pitching coach Jeremy Hefner wasn’t present to explain the findings. “Hef’s just a great human being,” he said.
“It’s difficult to take super-high-tech information and distill it down to a level that someone like me understands. I think he does an excellent job with that.”
Garrett shared this sentiment, claiming that Hefner’s emotional support for his players is one of the major keys to the Mets’ success. “Hef is amazing. He is an excellent communicator. “He’s knowledgeable,” he explained. “He maintains a level head. Never allows the highs or lows to become too extreme, and instills confidence in us that the organization believes in us.
“Relaying that message is extremely beneficial, as we all live in a volatile world. Whether things are going well or poorly, something is bound to happen. It’s great to have someone in your corner, fighting for you.”
