The Mets signed right-hander Daniel Duarte to a minor league deal, as first noted on Duarte’s MLB.com profile page earlier this week. Duarte spent the 2025 season on a minors contract with the Twins but didn’t pitch while recovering from a May 2024 UCL revision surgery.
A veteran of three MLB seasons, the bulk of Duarte’s 38 1/3 career innings came as a member of the Reds bullpen in 2023, when he tossed 31 2/3 frames across 31 games. Duarte has a respectable 3.99 ERA across his limited time in the Show, though with only a 17% strikeout rate and a troublingly comparable 14.5% walk rate. An extreme groundball pitcher early in his minor league career, Duarte still has a 47.3% grounder rate in the majors, but batters have capitalized when they’ve been able to get the ball in the air — Duarte has given up seven homers across his 38 1/3 career innings.
It remains to be seen how Duarte will look after such a long absence, though his return to the mound in Mexican winter league play this offseason has resulted in 19 2/3 scoreless innings. A 5.71 BB% and 21.43% strikeout rate are further steps in the right direction.
New York was impressed enough to extend a contract to the 29-year-old, and Duarte will get a chance to show the team his progress first-hand during Spring Training. There’s no risk for the Mets in bringing Duarte and several other pitchers to camp on minors deals, and there figures to be plenty of opportunity given how the Mets so often cycle relievers up and down between Triple-A and the active roster. Duarte has a minor league option year remaining, so this gives up some advantage over out-of-options players in the competition for roster spots.
metzfan here come the dummies. “oh look at Stearns signing all the bargains”.
it’s minor league Bullpen depth for a long season. can you please stop whining every time they sign a minor league pitcher?
Literally no one complaining and you jump in by addressing yourself.
I think Mets fans aren’t frustrated with the Minor League depth he’s signing but who he’s not signing. He can worry about the depth signings in late January and February. Most of the top FA’s are signing now and most will be signed by mid January. If he wants any of the three top Japanese Players their windows close roughly around Jan 2nd. And we know that FA signings are very slowed down and almost non existent from Christmas to New Year’s. Should be focused on the big FA’s now.
Murakami’s window closes December 22. I don’t think the Mets will go after him though.
Stearns can walk and chew gum at the same time, bud.
Good luck…..
Dollar Store David Stearns. Dodgers get Diaz, we get Duarte. Joke of a GM
He’ll feel the “love” from Mets fans as soon as he starts giving up walks and dingers
Danny Doots should get a chance in KBO or NPB. He can’t survive in AAA or MLB