2:18pm: Salas will earn $3MM and can tack on an additional $350K in incentives, MLBTR’s Steve Adams reports on Twitter.
1:34pm: The Mets have reached an agreement to re-sign right-hander Fernando Salas, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Salas, a client of Paragon Sports, will receive a one-year deal, Rosenthal adds. The contract is pending a physical.
[Related: Updated New York Mets Depth Chart]
The 31-year-old Salas opened the 2016 season with the Angels and posted fairly uninspiring results through 56 1/3 innings there, logging a 4.47 ERA with 7.2 K/9 against 3.0 BB/9 in what was his third season with the Halos. However, Salas was dominant following an August trade to the Mets, allowing just four runs in 17 1/3 innings (2.08 ERA) with 19 strikeouts and zero walks. He’ll now return to the Mets for a second season, joining Addison Reed as a right-handed bridge to closer Jeurys Familia.
Of course, Salas also will play a larger role with the Mets early in the season, as Familia figures to be suspended under Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy. With Familia on the restricted list, Reed seems likely to close, which could make Salas the primary setup man for manager Terry Collins for a portion of the season.
Much of the chatter surrounding the Mets and their desire to add a relief pitcher have centered around lefties — specifically former Met Jerry Blevins. New York has been said to be working with some financial constraints as their payroll approaches $150MM, but Newsday’s Marc Carig reports that the team is not yet out on Blevins (Twitter link).
Salas, for what it’s worth, has held opposing lefties to a .239/.294/.383 batting line in his career and limited lefties to a .237/.270/.412 slash in 2016. So, while not utterly dominant against opposite-handed batters, he does limit lefties more effectively than a number of right-handed middle relievers.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
I hope he is as effective as he was down the stretch last year.
Yes!!!
This makes the plan clear: during Familia’s suspension, Reed closes with Wheeler as the setup man, Salas and Robles before him, Edgin as the primary lefty.
Smoker, Gilmartin and Gorzelany battle for one of the spots, and whichever of Gsellman and Lugo isn’t #5 battles Goeddel, Montero and Ynoa for the long reliever gig.
When Familia comes back, Wheeler goes to AA to get stretched out.
Bye bye Blevins.
I wouldn’t rule out Blevins yet.
Hello Blevins..
Finally! Now Blevins, please.
I believe they still get Blevins signed, somehow.
A backloaded deal may get it done.
Anyone who leaves the Angels … blossoms elsewhere … I wonder why that is ….
It’s amazing
I was wondering the same thing. It almost seems like the pressure is off and they can perform without fear
They leave Anaheim & go to NYC (at least Salas), and the pressure is off? Don’t think that theory holds water. 🙂
Going from Anaheim to the largest market with the most pressure. Yeah, I don’t think so..
We have not developed pitchers for years. Very hard to comprehend??
Good news for Jays fans as the mets were the top pick to land Blevins, seems unlikely now but I doubt he will sign with either team.
Salas isn’t a LOOGY. Mets still technically have one so Blevins is still definitely on the Mets radar. I don’t see the minor league signing of Tom Gorzelanny as Blevins being off the table for the Mets either unless if that’s what you mean?
Wow. 300 million pennies gone from the Wilpons’ stash. I imagine a few tenants will need to go without some services for awhile so they can replenish it. Or maybe we just draft below slot for another year or two or three.
I should be grateful for any sign that the Bruce fiasco won’t completely hold the baseball operation hostage well into the season, but this barely moves the needle. They’re discussing a back loaded 2-year contract for Jerry Blevins? A (the) major market club. It’s pathetic.
Indeed. An embarrassment. Wilpons recouping their Madoff losses through the Mets by acting like they own the Reds. As a Mets fan, I’m furious with them. WS caliber team, if supported, and GM has to worry that a 30-100 RF making $13M is too expensive.
Given that they seemingly cant give Bruce away, it would seem the whole league agrees that $13 million is too much for him.
The juicier question is who gets DFA’d? Goeddel? Montero? Gilmartin?
Mets blow
The Madoff propaganda is getting old as well. They’ve made one payment so far (last year). With the offsets from recoveries on net loser investor investments, the total was about 16-18 mm and they’ll be at most another 25 mm (less some recoveries) due in 3-4 years.. Not the reason the payroll is 50 mm per year lower than the big market average. Not the reason they’ve never spent like a big market team in the draft or with IFAs (never involved with a Cuban defector). .
Bruce deal made no sense when made. Having made it, though, it was a reasonable gamble to exercise the option and see if they can recoup some of what they traded for him. But NOT if they were unwilling to pay any of his salary to facilitate a trade, and not if they were going to go into a spending freeze until it happened. Bruce’s presence will continue to screw up Conforto’s career. No effort was made to upgrade at C or 3B, The window will begin to close soon as the young pitchers need to be paid.