The best Mets seasons of the decade: Pitchers

We continue our attempt to assemble a team composed of the best Mets seasons of the decade. The 2010s featured a number of terrific performances by starting pitchers, as well as some unsung efforts from relievers.

SP: Jacob deGrom (2018) 217 IP, 269 K, 1.70 ERA, 1.99 FIP, 9.0 fWAR

Considering era context, deGrom’s first Cy Young season is one of the most impressive single season pitching performances we’ve seen in a long, long time. This required no explanation, but you got one anyway.

SP: Matt Harvey (2013) 178.1 IP, 191 K, 2.27 ERA, 2.00 FIP, 6.1 fWAR

The first season featuring Harvey’s “Dark Knight” persona was a one-of-a-kind experience. Though deGrom ended up being the team’s most dominant pitcher, Harvey’s starts were an event unlike anything since the days of Doc Gooden.

SP: Noah Syndergaard (2016) 183.2 IP, 218 K, 2.60 ERA, 2.29 FIP, 6.0 fWAR

With deGrom sidelined, Syndergaard anchored the Mets’ rotation and almost willed them to a victory in the Wild Card game. When he was able to put everything together, the man who was aptly nicknamed after the Norse God of Thunder was a top-tier ace.

SP: R.A. Dickey (2012) 233.2 IP, 230 K, 2.73 ERA, 3.27 FIP, 4.7 fWAR

Dickey became an out-of-nowhere sensation and a fan favorite in his Cy Young season. Although he was a very good pitcher for the previous two seasons, no one could have predicted his breakout 2012 season. Not only was Dickey one of the lone bright spots during a trying period in Mets history, but his majestic season directly led to the acquisitions of d’Arnaud and Syndergaard. Not bad for a guy born without a UCL in his throwing elbow.

SP: Zack Wheeler (2018) 182.1 IP, 179 K, 3.31 ERA, 3.25 FIP, 4.2 fWAR

In his first healthy season since 2014, Wheeler finally showed Mets fans why he was once considered one of the best prospects in baseball. He was particularly dominant in the second half, sporting a 1.68 ERA with nine wins in his final 11 starts.

HM: Johan Santana (2010) 199.0 IP, 144 K, 2.98 ERA, 3.54 FIP, 3.7 fWAR

Jonathon Niese (2012) 190.1 IP, 155 K, 3.40 ERA, 3.80 FIP, 2.5 fWAR

Matt Harvey (2015) 189.1 IP, 188 K, 2.71 ERA, 3.05 FIP, 4.0 fWAR

Steven Matz (2016) 132.1 IP, 129 K, 3.40 ERA, 3.39 FIP, 2.5 fWAR

Bartolo Colon (2016) He hit a home run

Noah Syndergaard (2018) 154.1 IP, 155 K, 3.03 ERA, 2.80 FIP, 4.2 fWAR

Jacob deGrom (2019) 204.0 IP, 255 K, 2.43 ERA, 2.67 FIP, 7.0 fWAR

Literally every other Jacob deGrom season

RP: Addison Reed (2016) 77.2 IP, 91 K, 1.97 ERA, 1.97 FIP, 2.4 fWAR

Reed’s first and only full season in Queens was arguably the best performance by a Mets reliever this decade. He was perhaps overshadowed by Jeurys Familia and his 51 saves, but Reed was the anchor of the bullpen and a major reason why the banged-up 2016 squad clawed its way to a wild card berth.

RP: Seth Lugo (2019) 80.0 IP, 104 K, 2.70 ERA, 2.70 FIP, 2.2 fWAR

2019 was the first season that Lugo was used strictly as a reliever, and he blossomed into one of the league’s most effective bullpen weapons. In a season that featured higher profile arms failing to live up to expectations, Lugo was a steady presence that helped keep the team’s playoff aspirations alive deep into September.

RP: Jeurys Familia (2015) 78.0 IP, 86 K, 43 Saves, 1.85 ERA, 2.74 FIP, 1.5 fWAR

It was almost impossible choosing between Famila’s 2015 and 2016 regular seasons, both of which were excellent. During that two-year span, Familia was in the top 10 among qualified relievers in ERA (2.20), fWAR (3.6), and GB% (60.8%), and his 94 saves was second only to Mark Melancon.

HM: Francisco Rodriguez (2010) 57.1 IP, 67 K, 25 Saves, 2.20 ERA, 2.63 FIP, 1.5 fWAR

Pedro Feliciano (2010) 62.2 IP, 56 K, 3.30 ERA, 3.22 FIP, 0.8 fWAR

Bobby Parnell (2013) 50 IP, 44K, 22 Saves, 2.16 ERA, 2.33 FIP, 1.6 fWAR

LaTroy Hawkins (2013) 70.2 IP, 55 K, 13 Saves, 2.93 ERA, 3.06, 1.2 fWAR

Carlos Torres (2014) 97.0 IP, 96 K, 3.06 ERA, 3.86 FIP, 0.2 fWAR

Sean Gilmartin (2015) 57.1 IP, 54 K, 2.67 ERA, 2.75 FIP, 0.8 fWAR

Jeurys Familia (2016) 77.2 IP, 84 K, 51 Saves, 2.55 ERA, 2.39 FIP, 2.1 fWAR

Jerry Blevins (2017) 49.0 IP, 69 K, 2.94 ERA, 3.12 FIP, 0.9 fWAR, 1 Amazin’ Twitter avatar