Mets Beef Up Bullpen With Angels' Salas

THE DEAL

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson had made no secret of his interest in upgrading the Mets’ bullpen bridge to closer Jeurys Familia. Addison Reed has been stout in the eighth inning, but the Mets needed some help in middle relief, so they acquired Angels interim closer Fernando Salas for 20-year-old righthander Erik Manoah.

ANGELS ACQUIRE
Erik Manoah, rhp
Age: 20

Manoah was the ace of a South Dade team that won the program’s first Florida state title in 2014 and was the Mets’ 13th-round pick that June. Manoah has a strong pitcher’s body with long arms, a short torso and developed lower half. His fastball ranges 89-94 mph with an average curveball. He’s averaging about a strikeout per inning and also keeps the ball on the ground, with a 50-percent ground ball rate.

Club (League)	Class	W	L	ERA	G	GS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO
Brooklyn (NYP)	SS	5	5	5.37	13	12	62	71	40	37	4	27	63

METS ACQUIRE
Fernando Salas, rhp
Age: 31

Salas, 31, has filled in well as L.A.’s closer since injuries felled Huston Street and Cam Bedrosian. Overall, Salas has a 4.47 ERA, but since the All-Star break, it is 2.93. He’ll pitch in lower-leverage situations for the Mets, who have Reed and Familia handling the eighth and ninth innings, respectively. Salas is averaging 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings and has a ground ball rate of 41.6 percent. He’s a free agent after the season.