Mets Need Fifth Starter, Why Not Robles?

Hansel Robles (Photo by Bennett Cohen/Icon Sportswire)

Rewind the clock to the Kansas City Royals visit to Citi Field.

Game 1 of the series pitted the usually pretty reliable Bartolo Colon, against Ian Kennedy. Just one batter into the game, Colon was struck by a batted ball and was forced to leave the game.  Mets’ fans had to be left thinking, here we go again; Enter, Hansel Robles.

The flame-throwing, enigmatic right-hander was left with the daunting task of quelling the defending World Series champions and giving the Mets a chance to win the game.  Not stretched out, Robles gave the Mets 3.2 dominant innings helping the Mets to an important 2-1 win.

As the deadline approaches, the Mets seem to be left in a strange situation.  Due to the season ending injury to Matt Harvey, and uncertainty around Zack Wheeler, the Mets are left with four reliable starting pitchers. The fifth spot is tenuously held by former long-man Logan Verrett, who as expected, has been somewhat inconsistent.

The Mets have a choice at the deadline: add a starter or add a reliever and the Mets could get creative.

Starters are harder to acquire than relievers and the ones available at the deadline are either overpaid and underperforming, headed toward free agency, or inconsistent like Logan Verrett.

Adding the C.C. Sabathia-types at the deadline is a proposition that is few and far-between and what’s more, the Mets don’t really need that kind of top prospect for top pitcher type deal.

The Mets need an innings-eater type that will save the bullpen, or to grab a bullpen arm like they did when they acquired Addison Reed or Tyler Clippard last year and find a solution at starting pitcher from within.

So why not opt for upside?

The Mets could go for a bullpen arm that woudn’t cost the Mets much and as for a fifth starter opt for Hansel Robles.

Why Robles?

For one, he seems like a rubber arm who could go 5-6 innings, secondly? He has very high upside.

Robles throws absolute gas between 95-97 MPH and sports a very good slider.

He seemed to thrive in the long-relief spot last month and if he could translate to a starter, he gives you another power arm at the back-end of a still good starting rotation.

If Wheeler returns he could slot to the bullpen or you could simply move Robles back to his medium-leverage bullpen 6th and/or 7th inning slot and be better for it should the Mets have added a bullpen arm at the deadline.

But right now the Mets have an opportunity to see if they can find a diamond in the rough if they give Robles a chance to start a few games.