ATLANTA — Nate Lavender Impresses in Bullpen Overhaul

Nate Lavender’s quick return to the team caught the attention of Mets officials just over a week after the bullpen saw significant changes.

The left-handed pitcher made his entrance on Tuesday, delivering 3 1/3 innings and allowing only one hit while striking out five. He did not give up any runs.

Lavender has been brought in along with Jeffrey Yan, filling in for left-handed relievers AJ Minter and Brooks Lally, who were traded just after the deadlines.

“He’s faced some tough situations,” interim manager Andy Green remarked before the Mets faced a 4-0 loss against the Braves at Trust Park.

At just 26 years old, Lavender was drafted by the Mets in 2021. After being selected by the Rays in the Rule 5 draft following the 2024 season, he found his way back to the Mets this year.

Green noted, “A lot of people were quite frustrated when the Rays picked him. We were really thrilled to have him back. We’ve always trusted our players and the competition, and he’s proven himself quickly on this big stage.”

The next step for Kouhiro Chiga’s potential rise as a closer—especially if Devin Williams remains injured—would be for him to pitch regularly. Chiga, after all, recorded his first MLB save on Monday, closing out a scoreless ninth inning, but he hasn’t pitched in consecutive games yet.

“We want to ensure that he’s physically ready before we ask him to do it,” Green explained.

Williams is currently on the injured list due to a shoulder strain and is expected to be out until September.

After his performance on Monday, Chiga wanted to keep the ball as a memento, but Carson Benge had already returned it to a fan. Fortunately, the fan came forward on Tuesday to trade the baseball with Chiga, who then gave the fan an autographed ball in return.

Gabriel Arias also made his first start for the Mets as a first baseman on Tuesday, adding a right-handed option to the lineup against lefty Martin Perez. However, he finished the game hitless with three at-bats.