Sean Gilmartin is the seventh-inning guy the Mets need

Yesterday I wrote a piece on potential September call-ups that could bolster the bullpen and provide backup for Tyler Clippard and Jeurys Familia. The one thing I forgot to mention is that the Mets have a pitcher currently on their roster who could fill that spot quite nicely: Sean Gilmartin.

Gilmartin, who began the season as essentially the third-string left-hander (after Jerry Blevins and Alex Torres), has become a quietly effective long-relief man for the Mets. The winning pitcher in last night's slugfest against the Rockies, Gilmartin allowed one run over 2.1 innings and pitched a 1-2-3 sixth, which is especially impressive when you consider that Coors Field is where ERAs go to die.

Speaking of ERAs, Gilmartin's is 2.54 with a 1.18 WHIP and a 2.76 FIP. Those numbers are comparable to Clippard's, though Gilmartin has typically pitched in lower-leverage situations. His splits against right-handed and left-handed batters are negligibly different, with lefties hitting .226/.284/.339 against him and righties hitting .228/.311/.304. These numbers suggest that Gilmartin has been consistent enough to at least warrant consideration for the seventh since he's been equally effective against batters on either side of the plate.

Gilmartin would not have to be limited to the seventh-inning role. With the talented starting pitchers often going deep into games, Gilmartin would likely receive enough rest to occasionally make an appearance in long relief if needed, particularly during extra-inning games. With Carlos Torres as the regular long man, having Gilmartin in this flex role would allow the Mets to get more out of their bullpen than they're currently getting.