Call it fair or not, but for years, the Mets have battled a lingering reputation for mismanaging their talent. This is particularly true when it comes to their pitcher usage. If you remember the saga of Matt Harvey, you know why the Mets are infamous. Notably, Harvey underwent Tommy John surgery in 2013, only to return in 2015 with a postseason workload that raised eyebrows. The decision to send him back out for the ninth inning of Game 5 in the World Series remains one of the most debated managerial choices in recent Mets history.

Now, as the Mets slip behind the surging Phillies and attempt to spark a second-half resurgence, that familiar narrative is rearing its head once again. This time, it’s the bullpen under scrutiny, with growing concern that overuse could derail yet another promising run. As expected, the front office once again finds itself under the microscope. Especially when it comes to MLB insider Jon Heyman, who is skeptical about the Mets’ bullpen.

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I think Stearns has been good about acquiring the bullpen pieces and arms in the past. And obviously, Diaz is here. He’s been fantastic. That’s the main thing. But they need to fill in around him with all the injuries. And frankly, a lot of them have been exhausted from overuse. That is one issue with the Mets that a lot of their starters throw five to six innings somewhere in that range. Not usually over,” Heyman offered a reality check about the Mets’ dwindling bullpen in a podcast with Joel Sherman for the New York Post Sports.

With a 1.66 ERA and 55 SOs this season, Edwin Diaz is doing what he is expected to do. But the rest of the bullpen? Devastated by injuries. For those unaware, A.J. Minter suffered a lat injury and may miss the remainder of the season. Relievers Danny Young and Dedniel Nunez are also out after Tommy John surgery. As a result, the remaining relievers are handling an increased workload, leading to exhaustion.

Yes, Sean Manaea is back from injury, and he allowed a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth inning on July 13 against the Royals in relief. But that’s surely not enough.

Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill, Paul Blackburn, and Christian Scott are currently not playing for the Mets but are on the Injured List. And the outcome? In their last ten games in late June, Mets starters have managed to go around five innings just four times. For instance, in our recent memory, the longest outing came from Griffin Canning. He pitched five innings in the second game against the Phillies.

So, now you know how the Mets’ bullpen is taking up the mound after the 5th inning, leading to increased exhaustion. With that being said, all eyes are now on the Mets’ president of baseball operations, David Stearns, to acquire some good names before July 31.

External help can only lead to the resurgence of the Mets 

“I’m more concerned now about the state of the bullpen and how much we’ve used those guys,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shared his thoughts. So, the concern is real.

A few probable names are roaming around that could contribute to the Mets’ resurgence. But with a catch: those kinds of arms aren’t cheap. For instance, guys like Sandy Alcantara or Shane Bieber would cost a haul in prospects. And that, too, if their teams are even open to trading them. While it may seem like a cakewalk for a cash-rich team like the Mets, a smarter approach might be to go for someone more affordable, like Andrew Heaney from the Pirates. Perhaps Stearns can work some of his front office magic and uncover another under-the-radar gem. We still remember Juan Soto.

However, apart from the bullpen, the Mets are also racing against time for a center fielder, courtesy of Jose Siri. He is reportedly shut down indefinitely owing to his fractured tibia. So, while the Mets faced the gut punch putting Tyrone Taylor in the center, that might not be enough for playoff contention. Yes, Taylor has done a commendable job, but an 85 wRC+ is something not sustainable in the long run.

Names like Cedric Mullins or Luis Robert Jr. have been recently rumored with the Mets, but nothing concrete as of now. For the Mets, it is now more about filling the gaps rather than making a record-breaking deal. That could be just the formula to keep this team playing deep into October.