The New York Mets’ super bullpen failed to launch. Now, after trading for three rental relievers over the summer, the Mets must once again replenish their bullpen. In addition to Edwin Díaz’s looming opt-out decision, relievers Ryne Stanek, Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley are entering free agency.

Stanek, 34, re-signed with New York ahead of last season and produced a 5.30 ERA in 56 innings. He wants to keep playing. Given his experience, particularly in the postseason, teams will have interest. Also, Stanek is durable; he logged 65 appearances. But things didn’t go well in New York.

The same could be said to varying degrees about the trio of relievers who arrived over the summer. Rogers, 34, performed mostly well. Though in what is a theme for these relievers, his numbers with the San Francisco Giants (1.80 ERA, 50 innings) were better than his numbers with the Mets (2.30, 27 1/3 innings). Soto, 30, arguably the best lefty middle reliever on the trade market over the summer, had a 4.50 ERA with the Mets after posting a 3.96 ERA with the Baltimore Orioles, along with a better strikeout rate and lower batting average against him.

And then there’s Helsley, 31, who dealt with command problems, tipping woes and overall bad performances. Though the veteran closer improved in late September, he was never the lights-out eighth-inning option the Mets envisioned. He had a 7.20 ERA in New York after posting a 3.00 ERA with the St. Louis Cardinals, the only other major-league team he had ever played for.

Need in 2026 and beyond

Whether the Mets re-sign Díaz or not, they need to add multiple relievers. At the start of the offseason, the depth chart is bare. It’ll look better if the Mets pick up the club options on lefty Brooks Raley and right-hander Drew Smith, who missed all of 2025. From the left side, A.J. Minter expects to start the season on the IL, though he won’t be too far behind, and New York just re-signed Richard Lovelady. And from the right side, there’s Huascar Brazoban plus hopefuls such as Dylan Ross and Adbert Alzolay. Someone like Ross may step into a meaningful role, and, for the future of the club, it is best that he does; churning out homegrown relievers is a must. But the Mets clearly need more reinforcements.

The external options

Pick your go-to reference for “a lot”: Bullpen options are myriad, sundry and manifold. We ran through several of the closing options when we discussed Díaz last week. Among non-closers not mentioned there, Phil Maton, Kyle Finnegan and Scott Barlow had nice years from the right side while Danny Coulombe, Hoby Milner and Caleb Ferguson were solid as southpaws. This is an area that Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has routinely bolstered via the waiver wire and with less heralded pick-ups as well.

Other teams in the market

At the risk of being glib, it’s the bullpen. Every team is in the bullpen market.

Projected salary

Helsley’s inconsistent season could cut what would have been a multi-year deal back in the spring to a shorter-term one now. Still, he’s been good enough recently to get in the range of $12 million to $14 million per season. Rogers has a solid argument to be paid $10 million per season, right near the top of the non-closing market. Soto is probably in the $6 million-per-year range for fringe setup men, while Stanek will likely have to take a little less than the $4.5 million he earned in 2025 with the Mets.

What should be the Mets’ level of interest?

As with Cedric Mullins, Helsley’s difficult experience in Queens after the trade deadline probably sours both sides on a re-engagement, even if Díaz ends up elsewhere. Rogers fits well as a different late-game look, especially if the infield defense behind him is better than it was for New York this past season. Neither Soto nor Stanek had their best seasons, and the Mets have multiple lefties returning and, in Ross, a righty that fits the same mold as Stanek.