The Mets announced Wednesday that they’ve claimed right-hander Austin Warren off waivers from the Giants, who designated him for assignment last week. New York’s 40-man roster is now up to 38 players.
Warren, 29 next month, has seen small amounts of action in four straight big league seasons. He pitched for the Angels from 2021 to 2023 and then the Giants in 2024, though his workload stayed below 21 innings in each of those campaigns. Put together, he has thrown 48 2/3 innings, allowing 3.14 earned runs per nine. His 18.8% strikeout rate is subpar but his 7.4% walk rate and 46.2% ground ball rate are both strong numbers.
He underwent Tommy John surgery while still with the Angels in May of 2023 and spent the rest of that year on the injured list. He was released going into 2024 but managed to secure a big league deal from the Giants. He spent a decent chunk of 2024 on the IL as well but was back on the mound by season’s end.
Though his major league track record is fairly limited, spending most of the past two years on the injured list pushed him to Super Two status this winter. Back in November, he and the Giants avoided arbitration by agreeing to a split deal. Per the Associated Press, Warren will have a salary of $785K in the majors and $350K in the minors. When the club claimed Sam Huff a week ago, they bumped Warren off the roster, perhaps hoping to have him clear waivers. However, the Mets seem to like Warren at that price point and have snagged him off the wire.
Perhaps the Mets see the potential for a bit more with Warren. Over the past four years, he has thrown 104 1/3 innings in the minors with a 4.05 ERA, 25.1% strikeout rate and 9.7% walk rate, while getting grounders on roughly half of the balls in play he’s allowed. If he can bring a few of those punchouts up to the big leagues, that would be a nice step forward. He still has one option year and can therefore be shuttled between Triple-A and the majors fairly freely. If he still has a roster spot at season’s end, he can be retained for 2026 via arbitration.
Nope
@ Bobby Bonds
I know right? How dare they.
Knee Slapper -_-
No
Useful #20 on the Mets’ pitching Depth Chart.
Warren’s peripherals in pro ball are all over the place, but if he ever combines his best rate stats into one season he’ll be a valuable reliever.
Stearns is the easiest FO guy to predict of anyone. If it’s a no-name reliever he’ll have K’ed 10 per 9 in at least one minor league season, his control will be iffy, often very iffy, and he’ll have one plus pitch even if he doesn’t know where that pitch is going.
Fan Idiocy #137: “Relievers are completely unpredictable year to year.”
In fact, no. It’s the sample size, dummy. Take all (ALL) starters, break their season into comparably-sized, much smaller samples, then compare them to relievers. Also, look more closely at starters and the wild swings year to year even HOFers like Greinke and Verlander are capable of.
All right! as a long time Mets fan we finally got our number 1 Starter!
If we could only move on from the Polar Beer and make more needed signings.
Living out in Angel land and rooting for the Angels too since it doesn’t and may not ever conflict; I am haunted once more.
Pair him with Canning and my nightmare is complete!
I already watched the Mets 2 or 3 times per week. After their head turning, high spending off-season, I’ll probably be tuning in everyday.
Austin Warren has done a lot more with his life than Jack Strawb. Facts.
True (as it is for all of us), but I didn’t think Mr. Strawb was crapping on Warren or the signing. And he’s not wrong about Stearns’ MO when it comes to the bullpen. To wit, the Mets’ bullpen last year had the league’s highest K%, but also the league’s 3rd highest BB%.
More small ball moves by Stearns. This is all going to backfire. I don’t understand how a GM could discount pitching. The whole staff up and down is nowhere near impressive. Even Diaz didn’t look so hot. They will need to avg over 5 runs a game and I just don’t see it with this lineup, and Soto is still unprotected. No 4 or 5 hitter to bat behind him. I am not impressed.
Seems like I heard the same stuff last year
Say what you will about Stearns but the guy hordes RP’s! Peripherals may be poor but there are guys who came out of nowhere last year who helped tremendously. At this wage with options before arbitration eligibility what is there to lose? They’ll catch lightning in a bottle with one of these guys while this one can be shipped back and forth to save other arms if he underperforms.