The Mets announced four roster moves prior to tonight’s game with the Cardinals, including the news that right-hander Dennis Santana has been designated for assignment. The roster spot was needed to make room for left-hander Adam Kolarek, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Syracuse. New York also optioned Joey Lucchesi to Triple-A and called up Vinny Nittoli.
This marks the third time that Santana has been designated this season, and on both prior occasions, he cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Syracuse. It would therefore seem likely that Santana might again choose to remain in the Mets organization, though he might more willing to decline an outright and choose free agency (as is his right, because he has been outrighted previously) at this point in the season, now that the trade deadline has passed. A team in more urgent need of pitching might be interested in Santana and give him a clearer path to the majors, if he might no longer be in the Mets’ plans for the remainder of 2023.
Santana can’t be cleanly sent to Syracuse because he is out of minor league options, which already led to two waiver claims for the veteran righty during Spring Training. The Twins claimed Santana off waivers from the Braves, and the Mets then claimed him away from Minnesota — between these moves and the fact that Santana was traded from Texas to Atlanta last November, his decisions to accept the outright assignments might also stem from a desire to just enjoy some stability after this carousel of transactions.
Santana hasn’t been particularly effective in his brief stints in New York this season, with a 5.91 ERA over nine appearances and 10 2/3 innings. Small sample size notwithstanding, the numbers aren’t too different from the 5.12 ERA Santana posted over his 139 career innings with the Dodgers and Rangers from 2018-22. The 27-year-old Santana also hasn’t pitched well at Triple-A, with a 4.91 ERA over 33 frames with Syracuse this season.
Kolarek signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers over the offseason, and L.A. briefly selected that contract to the active roster in June, resulting in one game and 1 1/3 innings of work for the left-hander during his Dodgers tenure. Los Angeles traded Kolarek to the Mets just prior to the trade deadline, and the southpaw now looks to get at least a bit of a longer look in New York’s bullpen. Best known for his time with the Rays and with the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series championship team, Kolarek had a 3.32 ERA over 116 2/3 innings from 2017-20 but then endured a pair of rough seasons pitching with the Athletics.
Never mind LOL Mets…more like WTF Mets?? Why the hell did they option Lucchesi after he shut out the Cards yesterday? AHHHRRRGGGG…the Mets frustrate me so!
So much for Luchessi earning another start. Now he can’t be recalled for 10 days unless there’s an injury. Granted, he won’t pitch again for 5 days but sending him down just to get another useless BP arm is just stupid especially when they accomplished the same thing by DFA’ng Santana and calling up Kolarek. I’d say this is #LOLEppler
ahhh shoot phil bickford got a blister on day 4 … have to put him on the dl. guess we need to call up luchessi to cover him. damn these bench guys … can never stay healthy.
Musical chairs
How does lucchesi still have options?
Nate Lavender? Ever heard of him? Another Billy Eppler move. Promising young reliever and no chances given
Three days later and this article only generates 6 responses?
Man, when dedicated, loyal Mets fans abandon their team, they do a mass exodus.
I feel like we need the teacher from Ferris Buehler’s Day Off to do Mets roll call in here.