Right-hander Zach Greene, whom the Mets selected in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft, has cleared waivers and will be returned to the Yankees organization, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter). The Yankees are not required to add him to the 40-man roster.
Greene, 26, was the Yankees’ eighth-round pick back in 2019. As a player selected in the Rule 5 Draft, he’d have had to spend the entire season on the Mets’ roster or injured list (with at least 90 of those days coming on the active roster) in order for the Mets to be able to option him the following season. Before being offered back to his original team, a Rule 5 selection must first pass unclaimed through the entire league on outright waivers, which was the case in this instance.
Greene spent the 2022 season, his age-25 campaign, pitching with the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate. He logged 68 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, notching a 3.42 ERA with a huge 33.3% strikeout rate but a bloated 11.1% walk rate. Eric Longenhagen and Tess Taruskin of FanGraphs called him a potential three-pitch middle reliever when profiling last year’s Rule 5 class, noting that Greene’s delivery generated tremendous carry on his heater, which helps to offset the pitch’s below-average velocity.
With five relievers who can’t be optioned — Edwin Diaz, David Robertson, Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley and Stephen Nogosek — the Mets were always going to have a hard time carrying a Rule 5 pick. That’s especially true considering one of the few optionable arms they do have was also one of their most effective relievers in 2022: right-hander Drew Smith. Carrying Greene would’ve likely left Smith and righty John Curtiss as the team’s only two optionable relievers, creating minimal flexibility to shuffle the staff when the bullpen needs an extra arm or the rotation needs a spot starter.
What where the Mets doing taking anyone in rule 5 draft anyway ??
Exactly. That’s a mid market or rebuilding maneuver. 25 stars and 1 scrub, no.
So you would say:
“No, I don’t want no scrub
A scrub is a guy that can’t get no love from me”
Not exactly. The Yankees lost Garrett Whitlock to the Red Sox and Trevor Stephan to Cleveland in the last couple of years in Rule 5. Both have had very good success with contending teams.
Red Sox were deep in “rebuilding” when they selected Whitlock. Cleveland would fall into the “mid-market” category.
The Sox made the playoffs in 2021 which was the year Whitlock was selected.
News for you Red Sox (playoffs or not) have been in rebuild for 3 years. Coming off a last place finish in 2020 is when they selected him. 2021 ALCS was not expect, not even the brass
You look to get talent whenever or however you can get it regardless of expectations.
The whole point here is for $50,000 put some trust in your minor league scout’s judgment. Roll the dice because you never know. And actually, there’s no better time to take a Rule 5 chance than in a rebuild.
SPs break so easily you need deep bullpens.
Looking for a hidden gem
It’s fun lifting arms from the Yankees in the Rule 5!
As long as they didn’t pick Booger Green
The Mets literally did not have a bullpen at the time of the Rule 5 Draft. Once they got a bullpen, they didn’t need him.
You, sir, have a lot of nerve. How dare you post such sensible comments on this forum
I could see the Mets taking a positional player in AAA that might have some power offensively. But I don’t understand pitching being drafted
Why not? It was the equivalent of a free tryout. Money Cohen finds under a seat cushion. Didn’t work out. He stunk. Back to the Yankees he goes.
Thank You for shopping at Yankees depth. We’re sorry your selection was not satisfactory to your standards. Please shop again soon for more solid depth at competitive prices. Sincerely, Brian Cashman.
Wont be long before Thad Ward, Noah Song and Andrew Politi get returned to Red Sox.
Ward: 7.20 ERA/1.60 Whip
Politi: 7.71/1.50
Song: Injuried
And so many Red Sox ‘fans’ were outraged after the Rule 5 Draft.
Ward will probably stay. WSH has so much refuse on their 40 that they’d be hard-pressed to find 13 pitchers clearly better than him.
If Ward stays healthy (a big if) he should stick with Was. The other two are going to be returns.
Song will not be going back to Red Sox. With injury Phillies will be able to send him to minors for 30 days rehab and by then they will find a way for him to be multi inning guy in pen. Red Sox screwed that one up.
You think Song can overcome a 3.5 year layoff with a 30 day rehab assignment? And, go from 17 innings (career) at Low-Low A, to the Big Leagues. All the while, playing for a team trying to return to the WS.
I’ll take that bet.
Noah Song is a unique case in the rule 5. I don’t think the Phillies can keep him on the 26 man for three months in an ultra competitive division. He won’t make it through waivers though some team that has nothing to play for like Nationals will claim him and put him on their 26 man for the 90 day period necessary.
It’s too bad for Song the best thing for his development was not to be taken in the rule 5 and he could be starting off in minors camp and ramping up slow and easy. Sadly I see almost no way Song is coming back to Boston.
Bruin: Do you know any other player that has been claimed via this rule? I honestly dont. — Another team would have to claim an injured, unknown talent player, carry him on their 26 man roster for 90 days, and inherit his medical bills.
I dont see how you think this is the most likely option.
He’s unique most players that are taken in the rule 5 have a lot of minors and may have some up side but Song showed tremendous upside when he pitched. I don’t know if he can back to where he once was I just know it’s highly unlikely this year. Still it is unique that a player of his upside to be placed on waivers. If he is which I believe he will be there will be a team out there that will claim him I almost guarantee it. This is a very unique case normally yes the rule 5 players placed on waivers always go back to there original team. There just hasn’t been a guy with Song’s perceived upside being placed on waivers he isn’t going back to Boston.
Bruin: It will be interesting to see how Song turns out. He dominated the weak Patriot Conference pitching against teams like Holy Cross and Lafayette. He looked good coming out of the bullpen for Team USA, but that was only 5.1 innings.
He was also outstanding in a limited appearance in short season Lowell in 2019.
Bruin: Song may be turn out to be good, but if we look at the 2019 Lowell Spinners, we see:
Noah Song: 1.06 ERA, 17 IP, 19K
Chris Murphy: 1.08 ERA, 33.1 IP, 34K
Brendan Nail: 1.23 ERA, 14.2 IP, 27K
Murphy is the only one to make it to AAA so far where he struggled to a 6.57 ERA over 75.1 innings last year.
Bruin: I’m not disagreeing with you. Just more to see to the thought process about Song.
more to add
I hear you Suit but it was the raw stuff of Noah Song his fastball sat mid nineties and his curve and slider were both considered plus and at least an average changeup. Based on his stuff alone if he didn’t have the military commitment he would of been a first round pick. I’m not sure he can get back to that status but he was looked at as mid rotation starter with TOR upside if he didn’t go to the military. I just think that some team will take a chance that he can recapture that ability in a year or two. If I was the GM of a team going nowhere I would snatch this guy up in the blink of an eye if he is put on waivers.
If Song’s really injured, they can stash him on the IL for the year.
“stash him on the IL for the year”
Song must be on the active 26-man roster for 90 days of the season.
they would get to retain those exact rights into next year were he injured for enough time to not be active for 90 days, so this all is a moot point.
Yes they would get to keep him. If he’s only on the Roster say 60 days they would have to keep him on the roster next season for 30 days
I’m guessing Song will be “injured” most of not all of this year due to trying to pitch after not pitching for 3 1/2 years. So, the question is most likely can they stash him in the bullpen for 90 days next year? Also, is this all fair to Song?
NJ pohle, I didnt see that rule.
I didn’t see that rule either, unless it was that sentence I was asking about the other day.
Good job messing up for the Mess, Zach. Welcome back!
Too bad Greene couldn’t take advantage of the Mets bullpen opportunity, but at least he go some exposure that could facilitate a Yankee callup or trade if he pitches well going forward.
I fully expect Greene will be pitching for the Yankees this summer and will be DFA’d after an appearance.
Quite possibly so. I’m at the game today versus the Jays and the Yankees are absolutely killing it! Even Donaldson homered…
Have fun Clip! Really jealous. Meanwhile, I’m stuck in a noreaster.
It was a beautiful night…. About 65 and a little breezy. I’m upset I missed the snow….no, wait, no I’m not.
Ryan Weber 2.0
Yeah you better return him Mets. You know what’s good for ya.