Dom Hamel, the right-hander for the Mets, has always taken pride in his ability to stay in the game as a starter. He has thrown at least 119 innings since his first full-season season in 2022, and in each of his previous two seasons, he has thrown 124 or more at Double-A and Triple-A. The 26-year-old farmhand was understandably resentful when the Mets approached him earlier this season with the proposal to use him out of the bullpen.
As a reliever, the Mets gave him a clearer route to the major leagues. Top pitching prospects Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean stopped him, and the big league rotation was and is full.
At Citi Field on Monday, Hamel stated, “I was a little bitter at first just because I know I can handle that type of workload. I’ve thrown at least like, 115-120 innings the last four years of my career and felt good handling that workload.” There are some excellent starters and relievers up here, but I have faith in my ability to succeed at the next level. The possibility of greater opportunity in this type of work was one of the topics we discussed with the front office.
The Mets called Hamel to make his major league debut against the Cleveland Guardians on Monday, giving him his chance. The Mets felt it was finally time to call up Hamel in order to replace right-hander Austin Warren, who worked four innings on Sunday afternoon.
According to manager Carlos Mendoza, he recognized the necessity for the big league team, continued to work, and positioned himself accordingly. Here he is, his name came up.
Given that he is stretched out to throw 20–30 pitches, the righty should be able to provide the Mets the length they need. Hamel is 4-5 with a 4.73 ERA in 22 appearances this season, including eight starts. He has a 4.76 ERA when starting and a 4.70 ERA when relieving.
His fastball has average velocity for a starter’s repertoire, but since entering the bullpen, he’s been able to add a few ticks, which is another selling point for the Mets.
According to the Mets, there might be a bright side, Hamel stated. You’re accustomed to throwing a lot of innings in a year, so it might help you stay fresh and improve your velocity, they added. I was all eyes and ears as a result.
Hamel also uses a changeup to encourage batters to chase and a slider that functions more like a sweeper with spin. Though he doesn’t use it as frequently as he used to, there is a curveball in the mix. However, it might provide a different appearance because the Mets only have Ryan Helsley, a recent addition, in the bullpen.
He’s attempting to throw strikes and keeping things easy for the time being.
“When you come out of the bullpen, you come in and you give them what you got,” Hamel said, referring to the largest change that has somewhat benefited me. No matter what the situation, you must stop the bleeding and reduce harm. Therefore, there is a far more emphasis on simply being in the zone rather than considering pitch preservation in order to make it through a lineup a second or third time.
As a result, it has essentially returned me to a much simpler way of thinking.
Eleven days after the death of his mother, Lisa Perez, the Arizona native was selected in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Dallas Baptist University.Hamel was able to pitch for Puerto Rico at the 2023 World Baseball Classic on her behalf. He began his professional career in Florida after her passing, which was close enough for him to see his father, Jason Hamel, and other family members frequently.
In addition to past teammates, coaches, friends, and his girlfriend, he has a close relationship with his grandparents in Chandler, Arizona, who were among the first people he called after learning that he was getting his first call-up from Syracuse pitching coach A.J. Sager.
He remarked, “I suppose the main feeling I was experiencing was thankfulness.” It has been an amazing experience to have so many people join me on this adventure.
