Randy Myers

Myers was a hard-throwing young lefty in a bullpen full of memorable arms. He grew into a closer after the championship season and became part of the pitching depth that kept the Mets dangerous through the late 1980s.

Myers was a hard-throwing young lefty in the Mets’ deep 1980s bullpen. He did not receive the same attention as Orosco or McDowell, but his power made him useful in a staff that constantly asked relievers to cover difficult innings. He could miss bats, attack left-handed hitters, and give Davey Johnson another arm when a game started to stretch.

He was part of the 1986 championship club and developed into a larger late-inning role after that season. The Mets traded him before his best seasons elsewhere, which is one reason his name can feel like a bridge rather than a finished chapter. His value in New York was tied to the depth around the famous stars; the bullpen did not work without arms like his.

Myers later became an All-Star closer, making the Mets’ decision to move him part of the usual fan debate about which young players were allowed to leave. He is remembered here for the hard fastball, the championship ring, and the sense that the next version of his career was already visible. Not every important Met stayed long enough to become a headline.