Time Running Out for Helsley, Stanek

The Mets’ bullpen has been a major culprit in the team’s struggles over the last six weeks. Since August 1, they have posted a 4.99 ERA, the fifth-worst mark in baseball. Ryne Stanek and Ryan Helsley have been the biggest concerns, failing time and time again to keep games within reach. Their performance continued to lag on Wednesday as the Mets dropped their fifth straight game, and with just 16 games left in the season, there isn’t much time for them to right the ship.

Stanek entered in the sixth inning with runners on the corners and one out. He allowed a sacrifice fly to Otto Kemp to bring home an inherited runner, then after a walk to Bryson Stott, he struck out Donovan Walton to end the frame. Stanek stayed in for the seventh inning and struck out three in the frame, but allowed a towering home run to Bryce Harper to stretch the Phillies’ lead to 9-1. It was the sixth home run Stanek has allowed this year, but the third he’s allowed in just 18 second-half innings. Stanek, who began the year promisingly, now has a 5.44 ERA and a 6.47 mark since April 25 (48 appearances).

Helsley entered Wednesday fresh off an encouraging outing on Monday, in which he struck out two in a 1-2-3 inning. He got Brandon Marsh to ground out to start his outing on Wednesday, but gave up a booming home run to Max Kepler to extend the deficit to 10-2. The long ball was the fourth Helsley has given up in just 13 innings with the Mets, matching the total he surrendered in 36 innings for St. Louis. Kemp and Stott followed with back-to-back singles, then after Helsley uncorked a wild pitch, Kemp came in to score on a groundout from Walton. Helsley’s ERA swelled to 5.14, and it sits at an alarming 11.08 with the Mets.

Both Helsley and Stanek are set to become free agents at the end of the season, but with their recent performance, it’s fair to question whether they stay on the roster much longer.

The Mets have some intriguing internal options if they decide to replace their struggling veterans. Fireballing righty Dylan Ross has skyrocketed through the farm system this year, jumping from Brooklyn to Syracuse. Across three levels, he’s posted a 2.34 ERA with a 35.9% strikeout rate, though he also owns a 14.4% walk rate. Ross has also excelled at keeping the ball in the yard, allowing just four homers and posting a strong 56.7% ground-ball rate.

Another flamethrower, Ryan Lambert, has made waves in the minor leagues this season. An eight-round pick in 2024, Lambert made it up to Double-A in 2025 and has posted a sparkling 1.66 ERA with a 39.2% strikeout rate and has allowed just one home run 48 2/3 innings across two levels. Baseball America recently ranked Lambert’s fastball among the best in MiLB.

“Lambert’s fastball stands out even among peers, as his 96.8 mph average fastball velocity, 20 inches of induced vertical break, and average spin rate of 2,691 rpm each represent the highest marks listed here,” writes Geoff Pontes. “These outlier characteristics allow his fastball to play up despite fringy command and below-average extension. The result is that Lambert is a fire-breathing righthanded reliever with a demon fastball.”

With the Mets’ Wild Card lead diminishing, the team can’t afford to wait and see if Stanek and Helsley can get righted in time for the playoffs. Both righties have had ample time to prove they can help the team, and have been the most unreliable arms in a struggling bullpen. Davis Stearns hasn’t been afraid to promote his young pitchers, and maybe it’s time for him to call up another one.

The post Time Running Out for Helsley, Stanek appeared first on Metsmerized Online.