The Mets have turned to Kyle Farnsworth to close games after Jose Valverde gave up yet another home run last night. The team had a few options, but Farnsworth's veteran status likely gave him a leg up on the competition. He's also been good so far in 2014, as he has a 1.23 ERA and 2.53 FIP in 7.1 innings.
Farnsworth's last very good season came in 2011 with the Tampa Bay Rays, though he was a serviceable pitcher in 2012. He struggled last year with Tampa before finishing the season strong with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Like Valverde, he doesn't throw as hard as he used to, but unlike Valverde, he has not yet given up a home run this year. Over the past several seasons, he's generally been good at limiting home runs, but he struggled with them a bit last year.
Ideally, Bobby Parnell wouldn't have needed Tommy John surgery and would be closing games for the Mets. But in the year of the partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, the Mets continue their patchwork effort to finish off games in which they have a late lead.