The New York Mets bullpen has a 3.80 ERA through July 9. That ranks 13th best in the big leagues. They could use some help, specifically some left-handed help, for the rest of the season.
Brandon Waddell and Richard Lovelady are the only southpaws currently in the Mets bullpen. Injuries have put the Mets in a tough position, but there should be options available to them at the trade deadline. FanSided's Noah Wright suggested the team trade for Hoby Milner of the Texas Rangers.
"Milner is a ground ball machine," wrote Wright. "He’s put up a GB% over 50% over each of the last three seasons. His 55.9% ground ball rate this year is the highest of his career and is in the top 94th percentile of qualified pitchers this year. It also helps Milner’s average opponent exit velocity sits in the 89th percentile at 87.1 MPH. His 8.7% barrel rate is high for him, given he was below 2% last year, but should improve given the amount of soft contact he induces on the ground."
Milner's delivery, paired with the movement he gets on his pitches, makes him a unique opponent for hitters. He has a 2.42 ERA in 44 2/3 innings of work this year. The Milwaukee Brewers non-tendered him after a down year last season. However, he was phenomenal for them in 2023.
In 2023, Milner had a 1.82 ERA in 73 games. He has pitched in at least 60 games in each of the last three seasons, showing he can be a healthy, reliable arm.
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The Rangers are in fourth place in the American League West and 3 1/2 games back of a wild card spot. Milner is going to be a free agent after the season, and if the Rangers become sellers, he could be a valuable trade chip.
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