The Mets announced a series of roster moves this morning, including the news that right-hander Jared Hughes has been activated from the injured list. Righty Franklyn Kilome was optioned to the minor league training site to make 30-man roster room for Hughes. Also of note is the news that infielder Jed Lowrie has been moved from the 10-day IL to the 45-day IL.
Hughes is making his way back from a positive COVID-19 diagnosis that involved about 10 days of symptoms and kept the veteran reliever sidelined for much of the Mets’ Summer Camp. Hughes signed a Major League contract with New York at the end of June that will pay him roughly $260K (the prorated portion of a $700K deal) over the 2020 season. The groundball specialist is coming off a season that saw him post a 4.04 ERA over 71 1/3 combined innings for the Reds and Phillies, as a 1.6 HR/9 (more than twice his previous career average) contributed to that higher than usual ERA.
From 2014-18, Hughes was quietly one of baseball’s most durable and effective relievers, with a 2.41 ERA, 1.99 K/BB rate, and 5.8 K/9 over 329 innings with the Pirates, Brewers, and Reds. Anything close to that type of production would be an enormous boost to a Mets bullpen that has been inconsistent in the early going.
An official designation of left knee discomfort sent Lowrie to the injured list back on July 20, though GM Brodie Van Wagenen recently revealed that Lowrie was dealing with PCL laxity. A wide variety of leg problems (including a sprained left knee capsule and a right calf strain) kept Lowrie out of action for all but nine games of the 2019 season, and today’s news would hint that he is unlikely to play at all in 2020.
Lowrie signed a two-year, $20MM deal in the 2018-19 offseason that stands as a near-total bust of a signing. In the Mets’ defense, $20MM isn’t an exorbitant amount for an infielder who had posted very strong numbers with the A’s in 2017-18 (37 homers and a .272/.356/.448 slash line over 1325 plate appearances). Lowrie also played in 310 games over those two seasons, so while he had a lengthy injury history in previous years and 2019 was his age-35 season, it was still hard to imagine that Lowrie wouldn’t be able to contribute whatsoever.
say what you want about 5he original fit, but i cant imagine BVW expecting him to not even get 10 ABs with the team during the life of it.
I remember when the Mets were praised for signing Lowery and the Yankees ripped for signing Le Mahieu. Boy have times changed.
I remember there was a poll on this website wondering who got the better deal. It was pretty even, but Lemahieu came out of nowhere and somehow became a MVP candidate while Lowrie went straight to disaster.
I find it hard to fault BVW for this deal. If it wasn’t him, someone else would have gave it out and you can’t just expect two straight years injury.
Let’s see. The Lowrie signing is a disaster. Not blaming Lowrie who was 35 when they signed him and the Mets should have known better. Then there is the Diaz trade which was a total scam by the Mariners over the Mets. Familia signing. Does Brodie actually believe he may have a job when Cohen takes over?
I would guess whether it’s Cohen, A-Rod or Harris/Blitzer, the next owner will quickly change GMs.
BVW has done a good job with his drafting. Of course, he will likely not be around to reap the returns of it.
Jed Lowrie has been in the MLB 12 years and only topped 100 games 4 times !!!!!! Any team that signed a 35 year old health risk to a $20 million dollar contract was dumb. He is a good player, but can not stay on the field. I loved him as a Red Sox prospect, but they traded him to the Astros, because he was always hurt.
Great deal for Lowrie…..he made $2,500,000 per AB. Wish I could get a deal like that!
The fact that the Mets GM still has a job after all the dumb trades and acquisitions is amazing…….
None of this would be happening if there wasnt a season
Lol
even with lowrie as a non productive hes still had a better yr than Edwin diaz
Cespedes a no show for game today and Mets unable to reach him. SNY broadcast just reported
Thats a bad feeling when this happens. Just think of the wellness checks that the wwe has done ..hopefully he just checked into a hospital
^^^ i.c.e. got him?
Bashlor traded to Pittsburgh for cash.