Whenever MLB’s lockout of the players is lifted and the offseason restarts, we have an idea for reinforcing the New York Mets’ bullpen. And this proposal involves a former MVP vote-getter.
That’s in jest. Veteran right-hander Ryan Tepera mistakenly received a 10th-place vote in 2020 National League MVP voting. But what the 34-year-old brings to the mound is most certainly of value and could be a perfect fit in the Mets’ now-depleted relief corps.
Over 66 appearances between the Cubs and White Sox in 2021 (61.1 IP), Tepera shone, amassing a 2.79 earned run average (2.73 FIP) with 74 strikeouts, 12 walks, 0.88 WHIP, and four home runs allowed (0.59 HR/9; 3.07 ERA, 0.66 HR/9 over 86 outings since 2020).
In 22 appearances on the South Side after being shipped across town for minor league left-hander Bailey Horn at the deadline, Tepera gave up just one long ball, putting up a 176 ERA+ with the Sox, allowing an additional earned run with three strikeouts over 4.2 postseason innings in October.
That works. And Tepera’s presence could add a solidifying, veteran dynamic to an already talented group in Edwin Diaz, Trevor May, Seth Lugo, Miguel Castro, and Drew Smith, to name a few.
A left-hander, of course, is still on the team’s list of needs this winter in the unexpected departure of Aaron Loup to Anaheim. But just like Loup, Tepera’s lefty-righty splits fall anywhere from non-existent to flipped on their ends.
Last season, the former 19th-round pick (Toronto, 2009) held righties to a .559 OPS over 156 plate appearances and lefties to a .429 mark in just about half the spots (84 PA). Love that.
We’ve seen the Mets left handcuffed by data in the past and the battle for advantage via information isn’t ending anytime soon. Having guys on either side of the chalk lines who can handle whatever is thrown at them allows for adapting on the fly, ideally avoiding vulnerability in the later frames. Always a good thing.
Tepera attacks lefties and righties with what appear to be distinct courses of action for each. Lefties will get his slider waist-high and on the inner edge of the zone with his four-seam on the outer half, falling thigh-to-knee. Righties see sliders away and four-seamers in the same area. Talk about a mind-****.
He uses his sinker (out-away to LHB; low-in to RHB) and changeup (low-away to LHB) in unison with both offerings and it all results in something that most definitely works. Very well, in fact.
Tepera’s release points and general pitch paths (both via Statcast) are practically breeding grounds for deception.
Combine that with the effectiveness of his main arsenal (.125 BA/.260 SLG, 50.6% whiff on the slider; .173/.212 against four-seam) and the manner in which he picks his spots with the secondary stuff and there’s allure here.
MLBTR’s predictions (which have been pretty darn good this offseason) have Tepera getting a two-year, $12 million deal on the open market. That’s a steal. Get it done.
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