Carroll’s Column: Bullpen Concerns for Mets?

Image Credit: Bill Menzel/Latino Sports

NEW YORK, NY — The ups and downs of a baseball season includes all sorts of challenges and obstacles for an organization to overcome and for the Mets, it seems as if the Amazin’ hit their first cold stretch of the 2025 regular season. 

“You are riding high in April, shot down in May!” is a famous line from Frank Sinatra’s 1966 hit, “That’s Life.” The Mets, who enjoyed a charmed first month of the 2025 baseball season, hope the second part of that lyric does not come to fruition. Nonetheless, there are reasons for worry, particularly pertaining to the Mets’ bullpen.    

Injuries are always a part of sports, and the pitching gods have not been kind to the Mets so far in 2025. Last year’s ace, Sean Manaea, has not thrown a pitch this year as he is recovering from a right oblique strain, while fellow starter Frankie Montas has been in a similar predicament with what has been described as a high-grade right lat strain. 

The severe injury bug hit the Mets hit the Mets bullpen during their last homestand as the team’s top two lefty relievers, AJ Minter and Danny Young, appear to be done for the 2025 season. Minter is battling a severely strained left lat muscle, while Danny Young’s balky elbow may require Tommy John surgery. 

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza has done an excellent job piecing together wins given the banged-up state of his hurlers. He has gingerly used closer Edwin Díaz by refusing to bring him in on consecutive days because he wants to minimize the risk of him getting hurt down the homestretch of the season. 

Mendoza has often used Ryne Stanek in Díaz’s place. Stanek is a good relief pitcher, but he reminded us at the end of April that pitching with a narrow lead in the late innings is a high-wire act which does not always turn out well. Stanek blew three leads in consecutive appearances to close out April. 

The best way to preserve bullpen arms is for starting pitchers to go farther into a game than just the fifth inning. It would be a shot in the arm for the Mets if starters were expected to go at least six innings, and if they are efficient with their pitches, seven innings. 

The Mets have treated starter Kodai Senga very gingerly as he pitches no sooner than every six days. If that is going to be the case, then Senga must give them at least six solid innings. Being removed before that point, which is what has been happening, is not satisfactory.

Last year, Jack Fisher, who pitched the first game ever at Shea Stadium, was at Citi Field to commemorate the 60th anniversary of that occasion. Fisher would routinely pitch every fourth or fifth day; would go deep into games; and never get hurt. I asked Mets president of baseball operations, David Stearns, what has changed since then. “I wish I knew,” he replied forlornly. He may want to search for an answer.

Mets’ President of Baseball Operations David Stearns speaks to media

David Stearns was interviewed by a reporter before Wednesday’s game with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Stearns grew up in Manhattan and he was asked by the sportswriter if he was a fan of New York teams in the other professional sports.

He said that he was a huge Knicks fan, but he never considered a career in any other sports besides baseball. I saw him a few minutes later and told him none of the other sports have as many fan general managers as baseball has. “That is absolutely true!” he said with a smile.      

Family Ties in Phillies Mets matchup off the field

Mets radio pre and postgame host, Pat McCarthy, is the son of Philadelphia Phillies television play-by-play broadcaster Tom McCarthy. Both men live in central New Jersey. As the baseball scheduling gods would have it, the Phillies were playing the Mets at Citi Field on April 22 which marked the 55th anniversary of Earth Day. I asked Pat if he carpooled with his dad that day. “Absolutely. I helped the environment and saved on the tolls!” he chuckled.     

More Pete Alonso commercials coming soon? 

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso has gotten off to a torrid start this season. What has been missing, however, are his television commercial appearances. Alonso, who has done ads for BMW and Car Shield, and is best known for a Citi Cards commercial with Mr. Met.

I asked him if we would be seeing the “breakfast triple play” ad again. Alonso laughed and said he was not sure.    

Remembering and Paying Tribute to Dick Barnett

I was saddened to learn of the passing of legendary Knicks guard Dick Barnett whose #12 uniform rightfully hangs from the rafters of Madison Square Garden. Barnett did not coast on his reputation as a beloved Knicks player after he retired. He earned an MBA degree from New York University and a PhD in education from Fordham University. He taught sports management from 2003 to 2007 at St. John’s University.      

Prime Video set at launch four-part documentary, “Earnhardt” 

Prime Video is turning its attention to motor sports.

On May 20, it will launch a four-part documentary, “Earnhardt,” which examines the life of the late NASCAR legend, Dale Earnhardt.

“American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans” debuts on Prime Video on June 12th

On June 12, Prime Video will debut “American Thunder: NASCAR to Le Mans.” Le Mans is the ultimate endurance auto race as driver teams must race 24 hours in the Northwest France town of Le Mans. The normal participants are Formula 1 racers who compete in European Grand Prix events. In 2023, NASCAR officials wanted to promote their sport on “the continent” by sending a stock car team there.      

FOX Sports 1 launches second season of “Dirt” 

FOX Sports cable outlet, FS1, has just launched its second season “Dirt,” which looks at a grassroots form of auto racing, dirt car, which lacks the paved tracks and sophisticated stadiums of NASCAR, Indy Car, or Formula 1.

Any sizable patch of open land can be used for dirt racing competitions and stands which can be put up and taken down in a hurry are used to accommodate spectators.     

2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Peacock Theater in LA on November 8th

It will be a big night for Queens at the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony which will take place November 8 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. Ozone Park’s Cyndi Lauper was finally recognized by the Cleveland institution. Joining her will be those former nursing students from Queensborough Community College, Cheryl James and Sandra Denton, better known as Salt-N-Pepa, who are being honored with the “Musical Influence Award.”

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has finally corrected a long overdue slight by naming Chubby Checker to its latest list of inductees. Checker popularized the most famous dance in rock history, the twist, and he was a constant fixture on the pop charts in the early 1960s. He was also the first rock star created by television thanks to his many appearances on “American Bandstand,” when it was a daily afternoon show broadcast nationally on ABC from the WFIL studios in Philadelphia. Dick Clark could always count on him to get the kids to get out of their seats and dance.      

CBS cancels “The Equalizer” 

CBS canceled “The Equalizer,” starring Queen Latifah on Friday. The show had a good five-season run, but ratings dipped when CBS moved the show to 10PM. It often aired later than that if CBS’s Sunday schedule got delayed because of a live sporting event going past 7PM Eastern time. “The Equalizer” filmed many scenes in Queens and recognizing the neighborhoods was always part of the fun of watching the show.

You can read more of Lloyd Carroll’s columns posted weekly on The Queens Chronicle.