Huascar Brazobán Enjoying Fast Start to Season
The Mets’ bullpen has been lights-out so far this season, and Huascar Brazobán has played as big a role as anyone in the group’s success.
Huascar Brazoban, Photo by Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Brazobán’s major league career began with a three-year stint as a member of the Miami Marlins from 2022 to 2024. Over that stretch, he produced a 3.56 ERA across 97 appearances totaling 121 1/3 innings with a 3.62 FIP, 10.3 strikeouts per nine, 4.7 walks per nine and a 1.335 WHIP.
Before coming over to New York at last year’s trade deadline in exchange for Wilfredo Lara, Brazobán had a 2.93 ERA, 2.64 FIP, 34 punch outs and just 11 walks in 30 2/3 frames. The Mets didn’t make a splash move to fortify their bullpen, per se, but the hope was that he’d carry over his performance from Miami to the Big Apple and step into a featured role during the club’s postseason push.
Instead, Brazobán saw his K/9 and BB/9 rates trend in the wrong direction at 7.3 and 6.0, respectively, while owning a 5.14 ERA in his 19 regular season outings for the Mets. He did not make an appearance during the playoffs, and his future with the team became rather murky heading the offseason.
After logging a 1.69 ERA in nine games during spring training, however, the 35-year-old cracked the Opening Day roster with both Paul Blackburn and Dedniel Núñez on the mend despite having remaining minor league options.
Brazobán has certainly validated the Mets’ decision, as he owns a 0.96 ERA with eight strikeouts and just one walk across 9 1/3 innings in six appearances.
His newfound pinpoint command is the most promising development of the campaign thus far considering how much of a detriment it’s been for him in the past, though he’s also limiting batters to a hard hit rate of just 32.0% while getting them to chase at a 36.5% clip.
Brazobán’s sinker, changeup, cutter and four-seam fastball, which represents his entire arsenal, have all been effective offerings as well and helped him put up a 0.750 WHIP in the early goings of the season.
The Mets are hopeful he can continue building on his strong start and establish himself as a go-to arm in late-game situations for the remainder of the year.
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