The Mets will hope he outperforms some of the others they’ve tried.
Ty Adcock took one for the team on Friday and was rewarded with a return trip to Syracuse. He will be replaced on the New York Mets’ roster by Eric Orze, a 26-year-old righty with a high strikeout rate.
Orze pitched 38.1 innings for Syracuse and had a 3.76 ERA. Wild at times with a 5.2 per 9 walk rate and prone to the long ball at 1.6 per 9, his best achievement was a strikeout percentage of 13.1 per 9. When Orze is on the mound, a total of 56 strike threes are called against batters.
This comes as no surprise. Throughout his professional career, getting strike three called against batters has been his biggest asset. He’ll join the Mets with a lifetime rate of 12.3 per 9 and see if that translates into major league success.
The Mets are giving a deserving prospect a chance against yet another journeyman reliever.
The Mets will likely try everything in the bullpen before deciding whether to buy or sell before the trade deadline. This means promotions for players like Orze, who had previously showed flashes of success in the minor leagues.
Orze had a fantastic first year, advancing from High-A to Triple-A in just one season. He has stayed with Syracuse ever since, and he has now regained the form that made him a prospect to watch in 2021, when he made his debut.
This year, the Mets have been more successful with young players like Orze. Dedniel Nunez has been instrumental for the Mets. Unlike Adcock, Cole Sulser, and Danny Young, the Mets’ other veterans, Nunez has yet to break down. He is definitely in the race for a position with the team next season, as there will be several available positions.
Unless someone beats him to the mound, Orze will become the Mets’ 30th pitcher of the season. They’ve only reached this number five times before. Every year since 2018, with the exception of the truncated 2020 season, the Mets have had 30 guys pitch. The 2021 Mets set the record of 42. It wouldn’t hurt to be the “over” with a trade deadline approaching.
