*Monday Morning GM: Taking a Hard Stance on Huascar Brazoban**
As we head into the off-season, the New York Mets find themselves at a crossroads in multiple areas of their roster. One of the more polarizing decisions that needs to be addressed is the future of Huascar Brazoban, the hard-throwing right-hander who has shown flashes of brilliance but remains a work in progress. As the team’s GM, I believe it’s time to take a hard stance on Brazoban, evaluating his potential while acknowledging the need for clear direction in his development.
Brazoban, acquired as part of the Mets’ push for a stronger bullpen in recent years, is a pitcher with undeniable talent. His fastball, routinely hitting the upper 90s, combined with a potentially devastating slider, gives him the raw tools to dominate. However, the inconsistency in his command, the lack of consistency with his off-speed pitches, and his tendency to struggle with control in key situations are areas that have hampered his effectiveness at the major league level.
It’s important to look beyond just his raw numbers. Over his time with the Mets, Brazoban has occasionally shown dominance in short spurts, especially in high-leverage situations. When his fastball is working, and his slider is complementing it well, he can be nearly unhittable. But there lies the rub: it’s been “sporadic” at best. His strikeouts are high, but so are his walks. His ERA often suffers from this lack of control, and it’s been evident that he struggles against both left-handed and right-handed batters, often letting games slip away with a misplaced pitch.
As GM, my stance on Brazoban is clear. He has the potential to be a valuable bullpen piece, but only if he demonstrates significant growth in his command. The Mets cannot afford to keep investing in an unpredictable arm, especially when the bullpen is one of the most critical aspects of their roster. The team is already looking to bolster the bullpen with more reliable, experienced arms in the off-season. The question then becomes: Can Brazoban be counted on as part of that solution, or is he a project that requires a change of scenery to reach his potential?
Given that the Mets are in a transitional phase with their pitching staff, it’s time to give Brazoban a defined role. The days of giving him chances to simply figure it out in high-leverage situations must end. For him to succeed, the Mets need to either provide him with lower-leverage opportunities, where his inconsistency can be better tolerated, or place him in the minors where he can work on the most glaring issues in his game—mainly his control and command. Brazoban’s 2024 season could be a make-or-break one, and the Mets have to treat him as such.
One thing is clear: the Mets can’t afford to just hope for the best. They need results. If Brazoban fails to make the necessary adjustments, the Mets should be prepared to move on and prioritize more stable options in their bullpen for the coming seasons. This hard stance on Brazoban isn’t about discarding talent, but about setting a high bar of accountability and recognizing when a player’s inconsistencies outweigh their potential. As we move forward into 2024, the Mets’ bullpen must be a priority, and this is a crucial moment in deciding whether Huascar Brazoban will be part of that future.
