After five years of sporadic big league appearances, Austin Warren established himself as a key member of the Mets' bullpen in 2026. Claimed by New York ahead of the 2025 season from the Giants, Warren made five appearances over four different stints with the club. However, in 2026, Warren was a key member of the relief corps and, aside from a handful of appearances, was very good for the Mets.
Warren threw a six-pitch mix this season, but relied mostly on four: a curveball, four-seam fastball, sinker, and sweeper. The sweeper is his bread and butter, thrown 45.5% of the time, but wasn't his most frequently used put-out pitch, which would be the sinker. Warren walked more batters than you'd like from a reliever (4.3/9), but he was able to keep most of them from scoring.
For the first two months of the year, Warren appeared in 14 games and only gave up runs in two of them, and the runs did not change the outcome of the games, both of which the Mets lost. Things got a little rougher in June, where the Mets lost in back to back appearances by Warren on June 6 and 10. In each, he gave up two runs, including the second game, where he acted as the opener.
However, the worst two appearances of the season came in July, and were followed immediately by a stint on the Injured List with a right forearm strain. Over two appearances, Warren threw two plus innings of work, giving up nine earned runs on eight hits and two walks.
When Warren returned, he was more or less back to his early season performance, giving up just five earned runs in 15 appearances, striking out 18, walking six, and one home run over his final 15 and a third innings.
Warren is arbitration eligible this season and seems likely to be tendered a contract after his strong performance. Plus, his mustache game is strong, rocking a Sean Reid-Foley/ Major Dad -esque soup strainer. The Mets need better facial hair in general, so you can't lose a key player like this.
