On April 9, the Mets called up Dedniel Nunez, a 28-year-old rookie.
He allowed runs in three of his first four outings. At the time, he didn’t seem long for the team, particularly since he still had minor league options.
A funny thing happened on his way back to Syracuse, though.
Nunez was never sent there. Instead, the hard-throwing right-hander has become a vital part of the Mets’ bullpen.
“Another huge piece there, a guy that can take the ball and give you multiple innings with the lead,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after Nunez delivered two shutout innings of work in a 5-1 victory over the Padres at Citi Field. “That’s back-to-back outings he’s done that. Not easy.”
Nunez has been almost unhittable lately.
He’s given up just one run and four hits over his past 11 ¹/₃ innings while striking out 16 batters and walking only one.
Most importantly, he’s become a multi-inning weapon.
A former starting pitcher, Nunez is able to be effective for longer than one frame.
When closer Edwin Diaz came off the injured list Thursday, there was some thought the Mets would demote Nunez.
But they opted for long reliever Danny Young instead.
That decision paid dividends on Saturday.
Nunez inherited a 3-1 lead in the seventh and retired six of the seven batters he faced.
The only one to reach came on a Francisco Lindor error.
“I think some parts [of my success] you’re kind of surprised about, but mostly not,” said Nunez, who signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2016, was lost to the Giants four years later in the Rule 5 Draft and was returned in 2021. “Just with all the work I’ve put in since the offseason, it’s kind of showing now. … I’m just fortunate and appreciative of the opportunity the team has given me, and every single time I go out on the field I just focus on doing my job to help the team.”
The Mets’ bullpen has really come on of late.
It has a streak of nine consecutive shutout innings and entered the day leading the National League in ERA at 1.89 dating back to June 3.
Diaz and Drew Smith have come off the IL, and Nunez has become someone Mendoza is gaining trust in.
“He makes our bullpen a lot deeper now,” the manager said.
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