New York Mets: Addison Reed Happy To Be Back

The New York Mets bullpen woes were turned around in part because of Addison Reed, who is extremely happy to be back with the Mets for 2016.

Last season, the New York Mets bullpen was a huge question mark throughout the season. The Mets had no reliable options beyond closer Jeurys Familia, so they got to work during the MLB Trade Deadline, acquiring Tyler Clippard from the Oakland Athletics. They were not done there, as they also acquired Addison Reed from the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 30th.

It was a risky move by the Mets, as Reed had experience in late game situations but had struggled mightily with the Diamondbacks during the season. Reed was the closer to start the season, but lost the job and was eventually demoted to Triple-A when he had a 7.20 ERA in May. He ended up finishing with a 4.20 ERA with the Diamondbacks before the Mets acquired him and he got going.

In 17 games, 15 1/3 innings, with the Mets in the regular season, Reed had an impressive 1.17 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP and a K/9 of 10. Despite struggling a bit in the postseason, like much of the Mets’ bullpen, Reed was tendered a contract by the Mets this offseason, agreeing to a one-year, $5.3 million contract for the 2016 season. To say he was happy to be back with the Mets would be an understatement.

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“I was hoping,” Reed said Tuesday when asked if he thought he would return to the Mets. “That was the plan. I had a blast here, just making it to the World Series. The group of guys that are here — everything was awesome. There is not one thing that I can say bad about this organization. When I found out I was coming back, it was the best news ever.”

The Mets are hoping it is a worthwhile contract, as Reed should have more responsibility this season late in games. With Clippard no longer in the picture, Reed could move up from seventh inning duty to some eighth inning appearances to be split with left-handed pitcher Antonio Bastardo, whom the Mets signed away from the Pittsburgh Pirates. But, Reed does not care which inning he is pitching in, as long as it continues to result in success for the Mets.

“I don’t care which inning I’m throwing,” Reed said. “I could throw the third out of the first inning. As long as we’re winning and as long as we’re getting outs and getting the ball to Familia in the ninth inning, that’s all we’re going to try and do. That’s all I think anyone is trying to do.”

Getting the ball to Familia is probably what Reed will be doing more often than not this upcoming season. He has experience in late game situations with the Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox, and has also regained the confidence that he lost with the Diamondbacks early in the 2015 season.

“I felt like it all just kind of clicked,” Reed said. “Not just when I came here, but the second half of the season last year. [Pitching coach] Dan [Warthen] is a pitching genius. He kind of left me alone, let me do my thing. I felt comfortable throwing all my pitches for strikes, and I think that was the biggest thing. I was able to throw my slider where I wanted to throw it, whereas in the first half of the season I couldn’t tell you where the ball was going.”

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After struggling to find workable pieces in the bullpen throughout much of the 2015 season, manager Terry Collins now has reliable arms to go to. With Familia, Reed and Jerry Blevins back in the fold, and Bastardo added, the Mets cane mix and match at the end of games with a plethora of left and right handed options.

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