The Mets have designated right-hander Phil Bickford for assignment. The move opens up roster space for J.D. Martinez, whose one-year contract with New York is now official.
Bickford came to Queens at last year’s trade deadline, acquired with Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers as a way of restocking a Mets bullpen thinned out by other deals. Over 67 1/3 total innings with L.A. and New York last season, Bickford posted a 4.95 ERA and an above-average 25% strikeout rate, though he allowed a lot of hard contact and his 12.8% walk rate ranked in the bottom fifth percentile of all pitchers.
The Mets brought a ton of new relievers into camp on guaranteed and minor league contracts, making Bickford something of a borderline candidate to make the Opening Day roster. Bickford doesn’t have any minor league options remaining, so the Mets had to go the DFA route in order to remove him from the 40-man roster and potentially send him to Triple-A (if he remains in the organization altogether).
Bickford is set to earn $900K this season after winning an arbitration hearing with New York, though the Mets would only owe 45 days’ worth of termination pay if they released Bickford prior to Opening Day. In some echoes of the Giants’ recent release of J.D. Davis, Bickford’s salary would’ve been fully guaranteed as an arbitration-eligible player if he had reached an agreement with the Mets prior to a hearing, yet going to a hearing meant that Bickford’s salary wasn’t guaranteed unless he made the team’s big league roster.
The Davis situation created some controversy around the league, and it remains to be seen if Davis might yet attempt to file a grievance. As per the CBA clause concerning this transactional tactic, “failure to exhibit sufficient skill or competitive ability” gives a team some leeway in releasing a player who went to an arb hearing, and the Mets might have more of an argument in Bickford’s case since the righty had a 5.79 ERA over 4 2/3 innings in Spring Training this year.
Of course, Bickford could still get his full $900K if another team simply claims him off waivers from the Mets. Clubs might prefer to wait until Bickford clears waivers in order to lessen the financial commitment, though any number of scenarios are possible as teams finalize their rosters in advance of Opening Day. With bullpen depth always at a premium, Bickford is bound to land somewhere on a new deal, whether a guaranteed MLB contract or a minor league pact.
He’s got Red Sox written all over him
I think i would rather take my chances with Sean Reid-Foley. Bickford and Reid-foley profile about the same, but Reid-foley seems to keep it on the ground more.
Hasn’t Reid-Foley not pitched in like two weeks?
Phil! Phil man, what’s all the hostility Phil? You changed man.
What you doing with all this gun?
Cash considerations incoming
The Mets are just lost at this point. Could have bolstered their pitching rather than waste money on a declining J.D. Martinez.
If you can score runs, then you only need enough pitching to keep you in the game. Without more offense, the Mets were never going to win enough games to be competitive this year.
I’d still welcome more pitching, but the Mets desperately needed that extra bat to strengthen the lineup without relying on BOTH Brett Baty and Mark Vientos. Now, having a 6-9 of Alvarez, Marte/McNeil, Baty/Vientos, Bader is a much stronger lineup. I think the pitching is strong enough to keep them in most games.
No viable pitching for 4.5 million plus deferred. Got a hotter and Vientos can compete at DH and 3B.
Mets should release their new GM instead
Will never understand Stearn’s obsession with Phil Bickford…
He just cut him, from previous regime.
What obsession? Eppler’s the one who acquired him.
You know how lovers are – one day they are ok the next its a line painted down the middle of the house
Good arm. He’ll get work.
And great hair.
I like Bickford. Hes better than Drew Smith. How Drew Smith has been able to stick around so long is mind blowing. Probably the worst reliever that I’ve seen get chance after chance in my lifetime. If the game is within 2 runs then you can kiss your chance of winning with Drew Smith in gone. He pitches like Cy Young in mop up duty, thats all I can say. Hes the main reason why the 2021 team didnt make the playoffs and why the 2022 team lost our 1st place lead. Can’t wait for the day hes gone
@LG Bickford is horrible; glad hes gone; Drew Smith is a much better pitcher just look at the numbers without emotion.
Drew was put into high levrage situations to many days in a row with Diaz out and a bad bullpen.
Glad Bickford is gone because every reliever still in camp is better than Bickford and 4 are out of options.
Great move Mets!!
Drew didn’t lose the season for the Mets; it was Lowly Rodriguez and Eppler’s refusal to move on from this Yankee castaway.
Boston found out what a Bum Lowly is!
Why this organization is in love with Yankee castoffs is beyond me but not my friends who are Yankee fans ripping me a new one over it.
its a waste of breathe … Drew told lfg he is going out for milk 10 years ago and lfg is still at the window waiting for his return.
The crazy thing is he backs a guy that bean balls away games over drew.
Hes not making much more than the min, why would a team not claim him and hope to save what 125k?
Yes, I was confused about that, unless they’d sign him to a split contract and planned to send him to AAA
He should get a haircut and report to Mets minor-league camp as Bill Fickford and see if anyone catches on
This makes a lot of sense why the mets took him to arbitration now for the 100k difference. I dont think they really intended him to make the team and this was an extended tryout. .
Phil Bickford. Another Bobby Evans misstep. However #foreverGiant
Specolie will wind up back at Ridgemont High right outside of LA. Dodgers will bring him back on the cheap..
Still think my “Dig Bick Energy” t-shirt will catch on.
Bickford should have just accepted Mets guaranteed offer rather than seeking more. He should have realized he was at best on borderline for a spot.
He’ll still earn 45 days of $900,000 and $740,000 for the rest of the season. But if he is only offered a minor league deal he should get a new agent. Because he might only get peanuts.
Instead of spending $$$ on players that could fit into this team and going forward this GM just wasted $$$ on nothing but losers — and why ? because the Mets have another LOSER of GM –
After spending the last 27 days here at Mets ST camp I have changed my outlook on this team – instead of 70-92 I believe its a 72-90 team – but if the Mets clean house at the deadline could be a 67 win team maybe less – by mid June they will be 10 games under 500