Should the Mets claim Drew Smyly through waivers?
The Chicago Cubs are 66-66, 5.5 games out of the playoffs. They are now tied with the San Francisco Giants, and veteran pitcher Drew Smyly has apparently been placed on waivers. Despite having the easiest remaining schedule in the National League, the yard sale has started. The New York Mets should take advantage.
Waiver claims today are far more valuable than those in September. To be eligible for the playoffs, a player must be on the 40-man roster by August 31 at 11:59 p.m. Teams have a significantly better chance of having a player selected before the deadline.
Why Smyly and the Mets? In the midst of a good season that saw the experienced starter convert entirely to relief, he suits two roles.
Two qualities Drew Smyly can bring to the Mets roster
Smyly’s significant experience as a starter should allow him to pitch more than one inning at a time. He hasn’t exactly done so with the Cubs this season, pitching 50.2 innings in 39 games. More than three outs have been recorded, although not significantly more than an average reliever.
Since Adrian Houser’s departure (no one is mourning), the Mets have not had an inferior pitcher go multiple innings. Smyly isn’t precisely the answer here. He hasn’t proven he can do so with the Cubs, and his roster spot isn’t vital solely to pitch in blowouts. It’s not a bad idea to have Smyly around for two innings at a time, and maybe hand him some other opportunities as well.
The fact that he is left-handed is significant, as Danny Young, the team’s regular southpaw in the bullpen, has not done well recently. Smyly’s splits are effective against both sides of the plate. Righties have batted.219/.303/.448 against him. Lefties have been limited to.226/.294/.310. The gap between.750 and.603 OPS is significant. He has walked many fewer lefties. Out of 92 plate appearances, only five have drawn ball four.
Smyly made it to waivers because to his contract. The remaining $8.5 million would be picked up, along with next year’s $10 million mutual option with a $2.5 million buyout. It’s quite pricey. And, with the Mets already facing luxury tax penalties, we can’t blame them for passing on a pitcher who meets their needs but is mainly average.
Despite his 2.84 ERA, Smyly’s 4.77 FIP suggests he’s been fortunate this season. He pitches fly balls at a 32% rate. The league average is often in the lower 20 percentile.
When rosters expand, the Mets will have an extra slot to keep Smyly. He has not been designated for assignment by the Cubs, thus being released is unlikely. This is simply an attempt by the Cubs to save money. It’s a chance for the Mets to enhance their bullpen with an acceptable option.
