Jose

Butto

The Mets have a couple of starters down already, but they still seem committed to Buttó as a reliever for now. It’s kind of a shame; he has a 3.13 ERA in 14 starts over the last two seasons.

That plan, however, could be altered depending on the health of Kodai Senga. Senga told reporters Tuesday that he feels “healthy and normal” heading into 2025, but the 32-year-old dealt with numerous injuries last season. Tylor Megill is expected to compete for one of those six rotation spots, while Jose Butto is expected to work out of the bullpen.

It was Buttó’s third save of the season, but he’s rarely used in a traditional one-inning late-inning role. With Edwin Diaz having pitched in three straight games, the Mets turned to Buttó, who has been one of their most valuable relievers this summer. Given his role as a multi-inning reliever who can also come in to save games when necessary, Buttó is shaping up as one of the most valuable non-closers for fantasy purposes.

Nine up, nine down. Buttó required just 40 pitches (25 strikes) to carve up Atlanta’s lineup on Wednesday evening at Citi Field and continues to excel in relief for New York, allowing just one run on three hits with a 17/5 K/BB ratio across 13 2/3 innings (seven appearances) since converting to a full-time bullpen role back on July 2.

Buttó provides a fresh arm for the New York bullpen after their extra-inning victory over the Nationals on Monday. The right-hander takes the roster spot of Tyler Jay, who was optioned back to Triple-A in the corresponding transaction.

This is a surprise, but the Mets needed a starter for today (Joey Lucchesi, who is coming up from Triple-A) and the team just doesn’t have many optionable pitchers; it was just Buttó, Christian Scott and Reed Garrett. Buttó, who was 1-3 with a 3.08 ERA in seven starts, might rejoin the rotation in 10 days, though the Mets will also have Tylor Megill and David Peterson as rotation candidates then.

The walks are really starting to pile up for Buttó now, but he’s remained tough to hit; the league is batting just .171 against him in his seven starts. He issued four free passes today, giving up nearly as many walks (21) as hits allowed (22) over his 38 innings. Unfortunately, he’ll miss the Marlins this weekend after the Mets made the move to a six-man rotation and will instead face the Guardians on Monday.

Buttó was more gritty than good in this one. He gave up a lead-off home run to Brendan Donovan and two more runs in the first before settling down and willing his way through five innings. Command was an issue for Buttó in this one, as just 35% of his pitches were in the zone and he walked three with just three strikeouts. The Mets rotation is getting crowded with Christian Scott’s promotion and Tylor Megill, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga working back from injury.

Buttó was excellent on Wednesday, holding Chicago to just one run in a quality start. A double and a wild pitch put a runner on third in the fifth inning before Pete Crow-Armstrong drove in the run on a sacrifice fly. It was the third time in five starts Buttó has gone six innings with no more than one run allowed. The 26-year-old right-hander ends the day with a 2.57 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and a 31/14 K/BB ratio across 28 innings. He’ll take on Cardinals in St. Louis on Monday.

Buttó allowed just four hits, but two of them were long homers that accounted for all of the runs. The three-run homer from Alec Burleson in the second scored baserunners who had reached on a HBP and a walk. Control was the concern with Butto going in. There’s still a lot to like here, but that he’s walked 12 and hit three batters in 22 innings is rather discouraging.