The Mets have agreed to sign outfielder Austin Slater, The Athletic’s Will Sammon reports. Slater’s signing comes shortly after news broke that outfielder Tommy Pham was designated for assignment, as per Mike Puma of the New York Post. It can assumed that Slater will take Pham’s spot on the active roster and 40-man roster, though New York still has only 39 players on the 40-man even with Slater’s arrival.
Slater is now on his third team in a little over a month’s time. The Tigers signed Slater to a minor league contract over the offseason, and after Slater triggered the first mandatory opt-out clause in that contract at the end of camp, Detroit released the veteran rather than add him to the Opening Day roster. Slater then quickly landed with the Marlins on a one-year, $1MM guarantee, but was designated for assignment after 12 games.
It was just earlier today that Slater cleared waivers and he elected to become a free agent. Because he has more than five years of MLB service time, Slater can keep the remainder of that $1MM salary, so the Mets might just be paying him a prorated big league minimum salary (which is subtracted from the $1MM total, with the Marlins covering the rest).
Slater hit only .174/.286/.174 over his 28 PA in a Miami uniform, though that is still better than Pham’s numbers in a similarly small sample size with the Mets. Assuming that the DFA will end Pham’s tenure in Queens, Pham will conclude his nine-game stint with zero hits and just a single walk over 14 plate appearances.
New York signed Pham to a minor league contract right at the start of the season and then selected him to the active roster on April 13. His long stay in free agency meant that the veteran didn’t get any sort of traditional Spring Training, though he got some ramp-up time in the Mets’ extended spring camp and five games of single-A ball with the team’s St. Lucie affiliate. While 14 PA isn’t a huge sample, it is safe to wonder if Pham simply wasn’t yet ready to face big league pitching, notwithstanding the fact that Pham has plenty of experience as a 13-year MLB veteran.
The selection to New York’s roster locked in a prorated $2.25MM salary for Pham in 2026. Another team would absorb the remainder of that salary if Pham is claimed off waivers, but the likelier scenario is that Pham goes unclaimed, leaving the Mets on the hook for the remaining money no matter what the next step is in Pham’s career.
He has more than enough MLB service time to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency, though it’s possible Pham might accept an outright just to get more playing time in the Mets’ farm system, with a handshake agreement in place to recall Pham once he is fully ramped up. However, the Slater signing probably means Pham’s time in New York is over, and he’ll be released if he isn’t claimed. A new team could then sign Pham to a contract and only owe him a minimum salary, which is subtracted from the Mets’ $2.25MM figure.
Pham and Slater are both right-handed hitting outfielders, and Slater has more of a reputation as a lefty-masher even though his numbers against southpaws have been average to mediocre over the last three seasons. Pham has also not been particularly productive since 2023 (a season that included his first stint with the Mets), as he hit .246/.317/.369 over 927 PA with the White Sox, Cardinals, Royals, and Pirates in 2024-25.
With 10 different teams on his big league resume, Pham might well land with team #11 in relatively short order, or perhaps revisit another of his former organizations. Slater spent his entire Major League career with the Giants before the team dealt him to the Reds in July 2024, and Slater has since also become a journeyman who has now played for six different clubs at the MLB level.
Slater should slide right into Pham’s role as the complement to the left-handed hitting Carson Benge, who has yet to get going at the plate in his rookie season. Benge’s struggles are just one drop in the bucket of calamity that has been the 2026 Mets’ season, as the team has sunk to a 9-19 record (tied with the Phillies for the worst in baseball) after being swept by Colorado in today’s doubleheader.
he made some money this year but he’s probably washed
Wham,bam,see ya Pham!
Well… bye!
There’s plenty of other strip clubs -err, I mean MLB clubs that are interested 🤣
He has plenty of time to plan his fantasy football draft.
He is no longer a Mets Pham.
Ya wanna fire somebody? The mets got swept by the Rockies at home and scored one run in 18 innings. Wtaf joke.
I don’t see Mendoza surviving past tomorrow. Based on the Mets’ awful start to the season coupled with crash last year, they need a change. Tonight or tomorrow.
A truly dumb signing by the Mets. Been a borderline headcase going clear back to his days as a Cardinal. Fringe 4th, more like 5th OF since way back then. Amazing teams kept giving him contracts. Bye Tommy.
“A truly dumb..Amazing teams Kept giving him contracts”…Strip clubs and beyotch slaps aside, “teams kept giving” Tommy Pham deals, despite his poor reputation, because he’s a proven RH hitter(although streaky) with postseason experience.
Teams aren’t quite as dumb as you make them out to be. These baseball front office people do get paid and do this professionally for a living you know. You’re suggesting multiple teams and multiple baseball men have been wrong about his hitting abilities for close to a decade now.
He’s not my favorite player either, but I’m not going to say he’s not had many big moments in YEARS of playing in MLB.
I rather give Morabito a shot
Idk if this is the move mets fans are looking for
the Rockies just swept them at Citi Field, credit to the Rockies pitching, good starts from Jose Quintana and Chase Dollinger, bullpen shut the Mets down today.
Throw another jobber on the pile.
Where’s the Sunday Night Red Sox Chat?
Oh Austin Slater will strike fear into the NL East with his sub 300 OBP. Sheesh Mets, come on!
Unlike his nickname his Mets tenure was not Phamtastic.
Why not call Ji Hwan Bae?
So much for Pham-i-ly.
Hahaha pham totally deserved to get dfa.. past his prime
Pham is not a major leaguer anymore. Also, signing Slater after getting murked by Colorado is really something. Keep adding poop to the poop pile
Pham, is done, he is 38, no more left in the tank – He should go back to fantasy football with Joc.
As for Slater, his one key skill was hitting lefties good, but it looks like that skill is depleting, so if he cannot pick it up, he is likely done too.
And with that move the Mets guarantee a losing season. Slater is a mess.