Mets Request Release Waivers For Brandon Lyon

TUESDAY: The Mets announced they have asked for unconditional release waivers on Lyon.  Assuming he goes unclaimed, he'll soon be a free agent.

THURSDAY: The Mets have designated right-handed reliever Brandon Lyon for assignment, according to the team's official Twitter feed. New York will recall fellow righty Greg Burke to take Lyon's roster spot, the team further tweets.

After a solid 2012 season in which he put up a 3.10 ERA, 9.3 K/9, and 3.0 BB/9 over 61 innings for the Astros and Blue Jays, Lyon signed on with the Mets for 2013. As ESPN's game log shows, Lyon had been reasonably productive for New York until he was bombed by the Nationals last Friday and Sunday. He is currently sporting a 4.91 ERA in 33 innings thrown, though he was sitting at 3.16 earned per nine before the Nats came into town. Lyon has, however, failed to match last year's strikeout to walk ratio: he has registered 6.3 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 to date. 

As ESPNNewYork.com's Adam Rubin notes on Twitter, Lyon was one of only two free agents (the other being Shaun Marcum) to get a Major League deal from the Mets this past offseason. Rubin also tweets that Lyon was on the verge of triggering contract incentives. Sitting at 37 appearances, Lyon would have earned $100k for every five appearances beginning with his fortieth.