Mets' Huascar Brazoban 'saved the team' with clutch performance against Red Sox

The Mets have gotten off to such a great start this season in large part due to their pitching, especially the bullpen. One big bullpen piece this year has been veteran right-hander Huascar Brazoban.

Brazoban entered Wednesday’s series finale against the Boston Red Sox nearly unhittable. In May (seven appearances), Brazoban allowed just three hits, two walks and no earned runs, and the Mets needed that dominance Wednesday. After starter Tylor Megill cruised through four innings, he worked the bases loaded in the fifth.

With the score tied 1-1 and two outs, manager Carlos Mendoza pulled Megill for Brazoban to hold the line. The Mets have struggled to score runs — scoring just eight runs over their last five games entering Wednesday — so a big inning by the Red Sox could send New York to their fourth straight loss. And Boston had Alex Bregman, arguably their best hitter so far this season, at the plate.

Brazoban got ahead 0-2, but the All-Star third baseman worked the count full. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Brazoban threw a sinker tailing away from Bregman, who took a half-swing. The pitch was painted on the outside corner for strike three to end the threat.

“He’s been killing it. Been a guy who’s been heavily trusted on. He’s just coming out and filling up the strikezone and doing what he’s doing right now,” Megill said of Brazoban. “Big situation right there, came in to get Bregman. Saved me, saved the team. He’s been killing it. Happy to see his success.”

When the Mets acquired Brazoban from the Marlins for cash considerations, they were getting a pitcher who hadn’t had much success in the big leagues. He had a 4.14 ERA in 50 appearances in 2023 and struggled in his 19 games with the Mets last year, pitching to a 5.14 ERA. But this season has been completely different for the 35-year-old.

Brazoban says the biggest difference for him this year is how he’s been attacking the zone and how he prepares for hitters before and during games. He absorbs as much information and data from the Mets’ coaching staff and analytics team, and that has helped him pitch this season, especially in high-leverage situations.

“Confidence is high right now, but it’s also easier to prepare when [the team] communicates that to me before the game,” Brazoban said through an interpreter. “I know the role that I’m going to come in, when I’m able to prepare that way, in the bullpen, I’m able to get the results that I want.

“It’s not that difficult [to pitch with bases loaded] when you already have the information on the hitter, especially a hitter that I’ve faced. I showed him the changeup, but I was predominantly sinker and I was able to get him out.”

On the Bregman at-bat, Brazoban said he noticed the hitter was in between on the changeup he threw with the count 2-2, which went for a ball. That’s when he knew Bregman was waiting for the changeup and went with the sinker instead.

After getting out of the bases-loaded jam, Brazoban pitched two more shutout innings to give the Mets a chance to win, which they would eventually do by a score of 5-1.

“He knows his stuff plays and he did it again today,” Mendoza said of Brazoban. “Came in on a tough spot, bases loaded against a pretty good hitter in Bregman there and to execute on the 3-2 pitch. Stayed poised, calm, and not trying to do too much gives us two more [innings]. That was the game right there. He continues to put himself in a good position and we’re going to need him.”

The Mets salvaged the third game of their series with the Red Sox, snapping their three-game losing streak. It was a much-needed win after a 2-6 road trip. Now they get an off day before the Dodgers come to town this weekend.

And like Mendoza said, the Mets will need Brazoban this season to continue to pitch the way that he has, and Brazoban is confident he can, thanks to the organization.

“Since I’ve been here, the analytics team, the coaches have helped me gather more information, more data on how my pitches work,” Brazoban said. “I’ve been able to take that out on the mound and have the success that I’ve had.”