Kevin Siegrist could be an affordable option for the Mets bullpen

The Mets still need to acquire some relievers this offseason, and since they don’t seem to want to spend much money, they might be looking for bargains. Lefty Kevin Siegrist, former St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies reliever, is potentially that type of free agent.

A native of Buffalo, New York, Siegrist attended Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth, Florida, where he caught the eye of MLB scouts. He wound up being selected by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 41st round of the 2008 MLB Draft.

Siegrist made his major league debut in 2013 with the Cardinals and had an amazing rookie campaign. He had pitched in 45 games for St. Louis and posted a 0.45 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts in 39.2 IP. But the following season was a rather abysmal one for him, as his ERA and WHIP skyrocketed.

In 2015 and 2016, Siegrist had back-to-back stellar seasons and saw his ERA drop from 6.82 in 2014 to 2.17 in 2015. His WHIP dropped, too, from 1.58 to 1.17. Unfortunately for Siegrist, his 2017 campaign didn’t go nearly as well as the previous two. In 39 games for the Cardinals, he had a 4.98 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 39 innings pitched. The Cardinals placed him on waivers, and on September 2, 2017, the Phillies claimed him.

Things went better in his very short stint with the Phillies, but the team placed him on waivers following the season and he became a free agent. After a rough 2017 season overall, Siegrist might not be able to command a huge contract and will be looking for a fresh start. Sandy Alderson should give him a shot, as it wouldn’t cost the Mets too much and Siegrist isn’t far removed from putting up great numbers.