Disaster in Queens: Mets Lose Their Last Lefty Arm as Danny Young Goes Down
The New York Mets have hit a critical low in their bullpen depth as they lose their final left-handed reliever, Danny Young, to a potentially season-ending injury. Young, who had been the sole left-handed option in the bullpen following earlier setbacks, was placed on the injured list with a left elbow strain and may require Tommy John surgery. The timing couldn’t be worse for manager Carlos Mendoza, who now finds himself forced into a pivotal roster shakeup just as the team faces a grueling stretch of 26 games in 27 days.
Young’s injury leaves the Mets without a natural lefty to face opposing left-handed hitters—a key disadvantage in today’s matchup-heavy era of baseball. Compounding the problem, fellow southpaw A.J. Minter, acquired in the offseason to stabilize the pen, is also out indefinitely with a lat strain and is reportedly considering season-ending surgery. This sudden collapse of left-handed bullpen depth has sent the Mets scrambling to find replacements amid mounting pressure both from fans and the standings.
In response to the crisis, the Mets have promoted Génesis Cabrera from Triple-A Syracuse. While Cabrera brings some experience and left-handed velocity, his early season struggles in the minors raise concerns about his immediate effectiveness at the big-league level. With no other healthy left-handed relievers available, Cabrera becomes Mendoza’s only option in crucial left-on-left situations—a risky proposition.
To further fill the gap, right-handed relievers such as José Buttó, Reed Garrett, Huascar Brazobán, and Max Kranick are now being relied upon to get left-handed hitters out. Mendoza acknowledged the awkward fit, noting that the team will have to be “creative” with matchups until more help arrives. The hope is that relievers like Buttó can employ reverse splits or deceptive deliveries to mitigate the lack of traditional lefty options, though the margin for error is razor thin.
Meanwhile, the Mets are monitoring the recovery of Brooks Raley, who is working his way back from Tommy John surgery and isn’t expected to be ready until midseason. Dedniel Núñez, another bullpen arm who has shown flashes of potential, is expected to be added to the roster soon, but he too is right-handed and unproven at the MLB level.
This bullpen instability arrives just as the Mets were beginning to gain some momentum after a bumpy start to the season. Fans and analysts alike are now questioning whether the front office was too slow in reinforcing the bullpen during the offseason. While injuries are unpredictable, the lack of left-handed depth has left the team vulnerable, and Mendoza must now navigate one of the season’s toughest stretches with limited tools.
The next few weeks will test not only Mendoza’s managerial creativity but also the resilience of a Mets roster that can’t afford any more missteps. With the pressure intensifying in Queens, the bullpen situation could either inspire a breakthrough from unexpected arms—or become the defining downfall of the 2025 Mets campaign.
