The Mets have reached an agreement to acquire right-handed reliever Wilmer Font from the Rays in exchange for cash or a player to be named later, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reports (via Twitter). Font, 29 later this month, is out of minor league options, so he’ll have to be added directly to the big league bullpen.
Font has worked as both an opener and a reliever over the past two seasons between the Dodgers, A’s and Rays. He’s not found much success at the MLB level, with a career 6.51 ERA in 65 innings of work. However, he’s shown enough that four clubs have been willing to commit a 40-man roster spot over the past calendar year. Font has averaged 94.3 mph on his heater in his MLB career, complementing that offering with an 83.2 mph slider and a 75.5 mph curveball.
It should be noted, too, that the Mets are likely in somewhat of a scramble to find arms to fill out their big league staff. Left-hander Steven Matz is dealing with a nerve issue that’ll likely sideline him for at least one start, as MLB Network’s Jon Heyman recently tweeted. On the heels of that report, SNY’s Andy Martino followed up by tweeting that Jason Vargas is also likely to head to the injured list with a minor hamstring injury. He may only miss one start, and the Mets won’t need a fifth starter for nearly two weeks, but it’s nonetheless another arm soon to be rendered unavailable.
Spend all offseason not adding pitching depth and here we are.
They did add plenty of bullpen depth but they’ve alll sucked or are injured (or both).
You can make that case for starting pitching but not relievers.
they added Wilson, Familia, and the best closer in baseball. yes there is little depth, but there was also way to many holes to fill.
Every informed Mets fan had ZERO percent shock at their surprising lack of depth and ineptitude demonstrated by the F.O. They refuse to spend $ to fill holes on a club that could complete for the NL East title if not for horrible ownership. Don’t be fooled by their payroll, once insurance money is factored in they are below the league avg for spending and have a payroll in line with major media market juggernauts KC Royals and MIL Brewers.
Yawn. Don’t folks like you ever get tired of complaining?
Time to sign Keuchel. At this point he should be willing to take a 1 or 2 year deal.
I prefer Times New Roman Font, but I guess Wilmer Font will do.
Some people would prefer Wilmer Flores (although he can’t pitch and hasn’t hit very well this season).
They couldn’t exist a year without a Wilmer on the team.
Too funny
i nearly spat out my lunch
Wilmer “Helvetica” Font has a nice ring to it…
This was a bold move, indeed.
I appreciate the scouting report Steve. Thanks.
You can literally click on any players name to redirect you to their stats and info page. Yet here we are…lol
Antibelt chasing me though the comments section. What do you have against scouting reports in articles? Umm, the link through articles take you to player stats page. Stats and info are totally different than a scouting report. Just ask Steve. Which is why he provided both. Wait, what’s even funnier is that you actually sound bitter. Relax. Haha.
Also, antibelt, obviously some writers agreed with my logic. I’m sure that bothers you even more. It’s ok bud. Have your mom bring you a warm glass of milk. It’s going to be ok.
No, just repeatedly seeing it posted is cumbersome. Just click on the name and you’ll get all sorts of information. The writers provide the link on all the posts.
I can see both ends of this argument. Clicking on the player easily brings up their Baseball Reference page and clicking on advanced stats pretty much gives you 90% of what is in a scouting report. However, I looked through all of the pages and didn’t see anything on his different pitch speeds and percentage of use for each pitch. If they started linking players to their Fangraphs page that problem would be solved. Until that happens I agree that it’s nice to see those in articles on pitchers I am not familiar with.
I liked Font. He excelled as a starter last year. Rays should have tried him in a rotation spot
To replace Glassnow or Morton? Snell, perhaps?
Font’s had his moments in Tampa, and is probably better than the 13th guy the Mets have; it is the NL after all.
With the way McKay has been mowing down the opposition in AA, I can see a Price- like promotion coming soon, even in a LOGY role. Ya, it starts the clock early, but at some point you have to commit to winning.
W Font has talent and will do well with the Mets. Tampa has Y Chinros, Beeks and Yarborough for bulk work and Jose DeLeon (Honeywell?) weeks away. We have no place for him and the Mets were doing their job. I hope we get someone for him.
Are you talking about Anthony Kay? The Mets do not have a player named McKay anywhere in their minor league farm system?
Rae hes talking about Brendan McKay the two-way player they drafted in 2017.
Starting the clock early should be less of an issue going into the next collective bargaining negotiations. That said, the Mets need to lock up their young talent now, instead of having them walk like Wheeler will be doing in about 150 days.
Quite the BOLD move by the Mets…
You didn’t need to bold the word bold.
That’s all CAPS, not bold. Still unnecessary.
Not that this would happen, but I wonder if Kimbrel (and the Met$) would have the appetite for a 1 year setup role since the market isn’t paying out what he’s looking for. He’d be a great addition for the rest of the season.
They don’t both have the other appetite for it. If they did, you wouldn’t have said “Not that this would happen.”
At this point, Kimbrel isn’t signing before all-star break. If he’s gone this far, may as well wait til tag is off before signing.
No one is signing Kimbrell or Klueber until after June. No one giving up a draft pick at this point.
Kluber’s got a contract (and a broken arm). Try again.
Sorry meant keuchal.
Big Sexy time!!!
Wilmer’s back! Sort of… Maybe the PTBNL could be Broxton.
So far this year he’s pretty much the same pitcher he was last year—just an inflated ERA. I really like this for the Mets. Font is one of those guys who can be really valuable as a multi inning type.
Font will dominate the NL. He is going to be better than Noah and be the Mets number 2 pitcher in the NL playoffs. Mets just got a gem
Struggles with command- he’ll fit right in.