Ask any hitter about changes in the modern game, and almost always, you will hear some version of this: Every reliever throws 99 miles an hour. The prevalence of hard throwers has far-reaching impact on health, roster construction, offense and more, but it is usually a bit overstated. Just look at Paul Sewald.

As the Mets churn through bullpen arms at a record pace (3.9 relievers per game through Tuesday), Sewald has elbowed through the crowd. He has earned a coveted place in the late innings, working a 1-2-3 eighth in a two-run win over Milwaukee on Monday, a day after working the seventh and eighth of a victory in Pittsburgh.

The Mets have already lost Jeurys Familia to injury and Hansel Robles to ineffectiveness. Fernando Salas, Josh Smoker and Neil Ramirez have combined for a 6.51 earned run average. Smoker — whose E.R.A. had been 11.57 in May — recovered to beat the Brewers on Tuesday with three shutout relief innings in a 5-4 Mets victory in 12 innings.

Sewald, who was not on the 40-man roster at the start of the season, was getting a rest on Tuesday. In 14 appearances, he has a 2.21 E.R.A., 24 strikeouts and four walks in 20 1/3 innings. And his average fastball, according to FanGraphs, is 91.2 miles per hour