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Mets Rumors

Mets Talking With Julio Teheran

By Steve Adams | April 1, 2024 at 2:17pm CDT

The Mets placed righty Tylor Megill on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder strain earlier this afternoon, and SNY’s Andy Martino reports that they’re open to pursuing external options to help bolster their depth while waiting on Megill and other injured arms to heal up. They’ve picked conversations back up with right-hander Julio Teheran, per Martino. The Mets also talked with Teheran before he signed a minor league deal to go to camp with the Orioles. He wound up opting out of that deal and, per Martino, has other teams currently showing interest in him at the moment.

The 33-year-old Teheran had a resurgence of sorts with the Brewers in 2023. He didn’t pitch in 2022, had just five innings in 2021 and had been rocked for a 10.05 ERA in 31 1/3 frames during the 2020 season. But Teheran wound up tossing 71 2/3 innings of serviceable 4.40 ERA ball for Milwaukee, fanning a well below-average 17.4% of his opponents but also issuing walks at just a 4.5% clip.

During his minor league days with the Braves, Teheran was considered one of the best prospects in the entire sport. Baseball America ranked him as the No. 5 prospect in all of baseball in both 2011 and 2012. He made good on that billing for several seasons early in his career, too. Teheran logged a 3.03 ERA in 63 starts from 2013-14 and logged a collective 3.64 ERA in 1334 innings from 2013-19 before falling into a swift decline.

Last year’s showing in Milwaukee was the first time Teheran has had any consistent success since making 33 starts with a 3.81 ERA for the 2019 Braves. He pitched 13 1/3 official innings with the Orioles this spring, holding opponents to five runs (3.38 ERA) on nine hits … but with a lackluster 10-to-7 K/BB ratio in that time (17.5% strikeout rate, 12.3% walk rate).

Notably, current Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns was still in the Brewers organization when they signed Teheran last summer, albeit in an advisory capacity rather than atop the baseball operations hierarchy, as he was from 2015-22. Still, there’s a connection, and we’ve seen Stearns bring in a handful of his former Brewers in his first year leading the Mets’ front office (e.g. Adrian Houser, Tyrone Taylor, Jorge Lopez). The Mets were also reported to have strong interest in former Brewers lefty Brent Suter as a free agent, but he opted to sign with his hometown Reds.

The Mets figure to be just one of several teams looking into Teheran. Already this season, we’ve seen the Yankees, Cubs, Astros, Twins, Rangers, Marlins and Red Sox incur injuries of note in the rotation. Any could make speculative sense for a low-cost veteran like Teheran.

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New York Mets Julio Teheran

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East Notes: Caminero, Senzel, Megill

By Leo Morgenstern | March 31, 2024 at 10:34pm CDT

After hitting his first Triple-A home run earlier in the game, Rays top prospect Junior Caminero was forced to make an early exit from Sunday afternoon’s contest against the Norfolk Tides. He injured his left quad while running to first. According to Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times, Caminero “limped the last few steps to first base and eventually needed to be helped off the field.”

Caminero is set for further evaluation tomorrow. The severity of his injury is not yet clear, but it is worrisome that he was unable to walk off the field without assistance. The 20-year-old infielder is a consensus top-10 prospect in the game. While he failed to earn a spot on Tampa Bay’s Opening Day roster, he was a likely candidate to earn a call-up mid-season after gaining some experience at Triple-A. The extent of his injury will surely play a role in how soon he can make an impact at the big league level.

The Rays are already low on infield depth early in the season. Shortstop Taylor Walls is currently out recovering from offseason hip surgery, while first/second/third baseman Jonathan Aranda broke a finger during spring training. In addition, utility player Amed Rosario made his first two starts in right field with outfielders Josh Lowe and Jonny DeLuca on the IL.

More news from around MLB’s East divisions…

  • The Nationals got some good news on Saturday, learning that third baseman Nick Senzel will not need surgery to repair his broken thumb (per Mark Zuckerman of MASN). That should mean he’ll return to play significantly sooner than he otherwise would. Senzel, 28, is no longer the top prospect he once was, but the Nationals were counting on him to keep third base warm this season on a one-year deal. Trey Lipscomb, 23, has done good work covering the hot corner over the past two days – he hit his first big league home run this afternoon – but presumably, the Nationals would rather the youngster get a little more seasoning in Triple-A. He was supposed to start there this season before Senzel’s injury rushed him to the show.
  • Mets right-hander Tylor Megill left his start early on Sunday, pitching just four innings against the Brewers. After the game, bench coach John Gibbons told reporters (including Joel Sherman of the New York Post) that Megill’s shoulder felt tender and he would need an MRI. Shoulder pain is particularly troubling for Megill, who spent three months on the IL in 2022 with a shoulder strain. Thus, the Mets will hope the MRI doesn’t reveal any serious damage. New York is already thin on starting pitching: Kodai Senga is nursing a shoulder injury of his own, while David Peterson will be out until late May after offseason hip surgery. Finally, Max Kranick, whom the Mets picked up as additional starting depth this winter, is on the IL with a hamstring strain.
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New York Mets Notes Tampa Bay Rays Washington Nationals Junior Caminero Nick Senzel Tylor Megill

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Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Cardinals Among Teams Scouting Roki Sasaki

By Leo Morgenstern | March 31, 2024 at 7:57pm CDT

Eight MLB teams sent representatives to watch NPB ace Roki Sasaki’s latest start, according to articles from Sports Hochi and Yahoo Japan, as relayed by Dylan Hernández of The Los Angeles Times and Andy Martino of SNY, respectively. Among those teams were the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, and Cardinals.

Sasaki is just 22 years old and already one of the best pitchers in Japan. Over three NPB seasons, he has thrown 283 2/3 innings with 376 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA. The ace made headlines last winter when he reportedly asked to be posted for MLB teams well ahead of the typical timeline – MLB does not allow players under 25 years old and with fewer than six professional seasons to sign anything more than a minor league contract. Ultimately, Sasaski re-signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines, temporarily putting a stop to any talk of his being posted. Still, he could make the same request this coming offseason. While he might be forfeiting a massive free agent payday if he is posted before his 25th birthday, he has made no secret of his desire to pitch in MLB.

It’s no surprise, then, that several MLB teams are showing interest in Sasaski. However, the two-time NPB All-Star might have already decided where he wants to pitch in 2025 and beyond. According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, “several GMs” are under the impression that Sasaki “already has plans to sign with the Dodgers” during the 2024-25 offseason.

According to one general manager, “There’s no way he’s going anywhere else but the Dodgers. We all know it.” While that particular comment was spoken in no uncertain terms, it also sounds more like conjecture than insider knowledge. Indeed, this entire report may be more speculation on the part of the executives than anything else. After all, at least seven teams besides the Dodgers are actively scouting Sasaski, and they wouldn’t be doing so if they didn’t think they had a chance to secure his services in the future. Moreover, even if Sasaki truly does have his sights set on the Dodgers, the rest of the league will still have an opportunity to change his mind.

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Los Angeles Dodgers New York Mets New York Yankees Nippon Professional Baseball St. Louis Cardinals Roki Sasaki

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MLBTR Podcast: A Live Reaction To The Jordan Montgomery Signing, Ohtani’s Interpreter, And J.D. Martinez Joins The Mets

By Darragh McDonald | March 27, 2024 at 9:58am CDT

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

  • Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers makes remarks about his former interpreter and the gambling investigation (1:20)
  • The inner strife of the MLBPA seems to be fizzling out (14:35)
  • We are discussing J.D. Martinez signing with the Mets when we are interrupted by… (18:30)
  • Live breaking news of Jordan Montgomery agreeing to a deal with the Diamondbacks (20:25)
  • Then we go back to Martinez and the Mets (25:00)
  • Some more Montgomery and Diamondbacks talk (29:10)
  • Rangers sign Michael Lorenzen instead of Montgomery (34:15)
  • Wyatt Landford makes Opening Day roster with the Rangers but Jackson Holliday doesn’t make the Orioles (39:00)
  • Rockies sign Ezequiel Tovar to an extension (45:10)

Plus, we answer your questions, including…

  • Luis García Jr, Lance McCullers Jr, and Kendall Graveman of the Astros are likely out, at the very least, until mid-June.  How come none of these guys are on the 60-day injured list?  Do you seen the Astros moving them there and if so, when? (49:15)
  • Do you think it’s possible that the league begins to follow the Angels and Rangers footsteps and call up recent draft picks as soon as they show any signs of potential? Also, do you think it is at all possible that teams start to call up teenagers? (52:25)

Check out our past episodes!

  • Mutiny In The MLBPA, Blake Snell Signs With The Giants And The Dylan Cease Trade – listen here
  • Injured Pitchers, Brayan Bello’s Extension, Mookie Betts At Shortstop And J.D. Davis – listen here
  • The Giants Sign Matt Chapman, Zack Wheeler’s Extension, And Blake Snell And Jordan Montgomery Remain – listen here

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

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Arizona Diamondbacks Baltimore Orioles Colorado Rockies Los Angeles Dodgers MLB Trade Rumors Podcast MLBPA New York Mets Texas Rangers Ezequiel Tovar J.D. Martinez Jackson Holliday Jordan Montgomery Michael Lorenzen Shohei Ohtani Wyatt Langford

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Mets Release Phil Bickford

By Nick Deeds | March 26, 2024 at 9:22pm CDT

The Mets released right-hander Phil Bickford this afternoon, as is reflected on the transactions log on the hurler’s MLB.com player profile.

Bickford, 28, was drafted in the first round twice during his days as an amateur; he was first picked tenth overall by the Blue Jays in the 2013 draft before ultimately signing with the Giants after being selected 18th overall in 2015. Bickford was shipped to the Brewers in a deal that landed the Giants southpaw Will Smith just one year after being drafted. He’d remain in the Brewers’ farm system until 2020, when he made his big league debut with a single appearance that saw him give up four runs in one inning of work. Bickford’s struggles in Milwaukee continued the following season as he once again received a call-up that lasted just one inning, this time allowing two runs on two hits, a walk, and a hit batsmen.

The right-hander would leave Milwaukee with a career 27.00 ERA at the big league level, but upon being claimed off waivers by the Dodgers in May of 2021 quickly began to turn his career around. The right-hander finished the 2021 campaign with a fantastic 2.50 ERA and a solid 3.57 FIP in 56 appearances with Los Angeles. That standout performance earned him a more permanent role in the club’s bullpen, though he’d come back down to Earth somewhat over the next two seasons with a rather pedestrian 4.84 ERA and 4.36 FIP in 121 appearances.

Just before the trade deadline last year, Bickford found himself shipped to the Mets alongside southpaw Adam Kolarek. Bickford entered his first offseason as a Met eligible for arbitration as a Super Two player, and New York tendered the righty a contract early in the season amid questions regarding the club’s bullpen depth. The sides were unable to reach an agreement prior to the deadline to exchange arbitration figures back in January, leaving them in line for a hearing the following month. Bickford’s camp submitted a $900K figure, while the Mets countered at $815K.

While Bickford ultimately won that case, going to an arbitration hearing in the first place meant that his salary for the 2024 season wasn’t fully guaranteed. The Mets cut Bickford from their 40-man roster last week and have now released the righty rather than assigning him outright to the minor leagues. As a consequence, Tim Healey of Newsday notes that the club now only owes Bickford 45 days of termination pay, which he adds works out to $217K. Not only will that save the club $683K in salary that would have been paid to Bickford this season, but when the club is taxed at a 110% rate on all spending beyond the highest luxury tax threshold of $297MM at the end of the season, they’ll have saved just over $700K in taxes thanks to their decision to cut Bickford as well, bringing the total savings to nearly $1.5MM.

It’s a similar situation to the one former Giants infielder J.D. Davis faced earlier this month when he was squeezed off the roster by the club’s signing of third baseman Matt Chapman. The Davis move stirred up controversy around the sport, and it’s unclear whether or not the veteran infielder will file a grievance against the Giants over the situation. That being said, Bickford’s case for pursuing a similar course of action may not be as strong as Davis’s. While the current CBA states that players can be cut “for failure to exhibit sufficient skill or competitive ability” if their contract was awarded via an arbitration hearing, neither Bickford’s 5.79 ERA across 4 2/3 innings of work this spring nor his 4.62 ERA in 25 appearances with the club down the stretch last year make a bulletproof argument for his abilities as a big league regular.

Looking ahead, Bickfor will now hit the free agent market for the first time in his career and figures to receive plenty of interest thanks to his solid work over three seasons with the Dodgers, though his overall lack of results at the big league level could leave him limited to only minor league offers. Meanwhile, the Mets will enter the season with the likes of Jorge Lopez, Drew Smith, and Michael Tonkin to cover the middle innings for their bullpen, with the likes of right-hander Shintaro Fujinami and lefty Josh Walker among the club’s depth options.

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New York Mets Transactions Phil Bickford

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Mets Release Luke Voit

By Steve Adams | March 26, 2024 at 10:34am CDT

The Mets have released first baseman Luke Voit, as indicated on his player page at MLB.com. He’s once again a free agent.

Voit inked a minor league pact with the Mets back in February. While he doesn’t have the requisite service time to qualify as an Article XX(B) free agent and thus secure a standard opt-out date five days prior to the start of the season, his minor league contract included an opt-out this past weekend.

The 33-year-old Voit had a tough go of it in Mets camp, tallying 41 plate appearances but batting just .118/.220/.235 with a homer, a double and 14  strikeouts (34.1%). That performance, coming off a down season in which he hit just .221/.284/.265 in a small sample of 74 plate appearances with the Brewers made it difficult to envision the former Yankee slugger winning a spot on the roster in Queens.

Voit led all of Major League Baseball with 22 homers in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season — part of a brief peak with the Yanks where he performed like one of the game’s top offensive first basemen. From 2018-20, Voit turned in a combined .278/.371/.541 slash with 58 big flies in 905 plate appearances. He was strikeout-prone (26.7%) but drew plenty of walks (11.6%) and had more than enough thump in his bat to offset the penchant for punchouts.

Injuries have since derailed that promising trajectory. Voit tore the meniscus in his left knee during spring training 2021 and underwent surgery. Two weeks after being activated in May, he suffered a Grade 2 oblique strain. Voit seemed to rush back from that injury, returning in under a month, and just weeks later was back on the shelf with pain in his surgically repaired knee. He returned again in August but headed back to the injured list with continued knee troubles the following month. Voit had a healthy but middling season at the plate in 2022 between the Padres and Nationals. His 2023 campaign was slowed by a neck injury.

It feels like longer than three years ago that Voit was a prime-aged slugger coming off a league-leading home run total, but that’s to be expected for a hitter who’s gone through the extensive set of injuries he’s experienced. His spring showing didn’t lend much credence to the idea of a rebound, but Voit demolished Triple-A pitching in limited action last year, hitting .263/.420/.615 (153 wRC+) with 15 homers in just 200 plate appearances between the Brewers and Mets organizations. That at least showed that there’s still some life in his bat, and between that performance and his track record with the Yankees, he should be able to latch on with a new minor league deal elsewhere.

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New York Mets Transactions Luke Voit

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Yankees, Mets Remain Interested In Jordan Montgomery

By Nick Deeds | March 25, 2024 at 9:18pm CDT

With Opening Day a matter of days away, one of the offseason’s top free agent arms remains available in southpaw Jordan Montgomery. Reporting yesterday indicated that the lefty has multiple long-term offers on the table, though it’s unclear which clubs those offers have come from. Today, Joel Sherman of the New York Post indicates that both the Yankees and Mets have yet to “shut the door” on a hypothetical deal with the 31-year-old.

It’s hardly the first time a Montgomery-Yankees reunion has been rumored. A report last week revealed that the sides had “reopened discussions,” and the sides have been loosely connected all throughout the winter even as the lefty appeared to prefer a return to Texas while the Yankees pursued fellow southpaw and Scott Boras client Blake Snell. Per Sherman, the Yankees have provided Montgomery’s camp with a range at which they are comfortable striking a deal with the lefty, though the sides remain apart as things stand even as Montgomery’s asking price has dropped as the start of the regular season approaches.

Sherman indicates that Montgomery’s initial ask was in a similar range to the seven-year, $172MM deal signed by right-hander Aaron Nola back in November, but he’s since begun to target the extension Tyler Glasnow signed with the Dodgers as a potential comp. Glasnow’s deal was announced by the Dodgers as worth $136.5MM over five years, though it’s worth noting that figure includes his $25MM salary for the 2023 season. In other words, that deal guaranteed Glasnow just $111.5MM in new money over four years.

The Yankees don’t appear to be interest in going to that level to secure Montgomery’s services, however. Sherman indicates that the club has “privately assessed” Montgomery to be a #3 starter, suggesting that the club’s range of comfort could be closer to the four-year, $80MM deal veteran southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez signed with the Diamondbacks back in December. While a gap of roughly $30MM is significant, it’s hardly completely insurmountable. New York reportedly made a six-year, $150MM offer to Snell back in January, suggesting a willingness to stretch their budget to land an arm of Montgomery’s caliber. Particularly in light of the sudden uncertainty the club’s rotation is facing with ace right-hander Gerrit Cole set to miss at least a couple of months to open the season, it would hardly be a surprise to see Montgomery and the Yankees find some common ground and work out a deal at some point.

The Mets’ interest, by contrast, does not appear to be as advanced as their AL counterparts. Sherman indicates that the club’s strategy regarding Montgomery is similar to the one they employed when negotiating with veteran DH J.D. Martinez, who eventually signed with them on a one-year deal that guarantees $12MM, though the majority of that money is deferred. That’s not to say that David Stearns’s front office values the two Boras Corporation clients identically; even considering the depressed market Montgomery is likely facing this late into his free agency, it would be a shock to see him sign a similar deal to the one inked by Martinez. Rather, it appears that the Mets don’t expect to get more deeply involved in Montgomery’s market unless his asking price drops into their established range of interest.

The 31-year-old would be a surefire upgrade to either club’s rotation if signed. Over the past three seasons, few pitchers have been more reliable than Montgomery, who sports a 3.48 ERA (121 ERA+) and 3.62 FIP across 94 starts. Only five pitchers—Cole, Nola, Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, and Jose Berrios—have started more regular season games over the past three years, and of that group only Cole and Gausman have posted a lower ERA during that time. With that being said, Montgomery’s lengthy free agency has wiped out the opportunity for him to have a normal Spring Training and will almost assuredly leave whatever club signs the southpaw to remain without him for at least the first few weeks of the regular season.

The New York clubs aren’t Montgomery’s only known suitors. The left-hander has frequently been tied to the Red Sox throughout the winter, and more recent reporting has connected him to Philadelphia as well. On the other hand, the rumor mill has been mostly quiet about Boston and Montgomery in recent weeks, while Phillies GM Dave Dombrowski told reporters (including Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer) that the club is not “actively seeking” free agent pitching at the moment, even in the wake of the news that right-hander Taijuan Walker will open the season on the injured list due to a shoulder impingement.

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New York Mets New York Yankees Philadelphia Phillies Jordan Montgomery

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Latest On Mets’ Roster Decisions

By Mark Polishuk | March 24, 2024 at 11:31pm CDT

Most of the Mets’ roster has come into focus with Opening Day approaching, and the team continued to make its final roster cuts this weekend.  MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo has the summary of the decisions, including the news that utilityman Zack Short and (somewhat provisionally) first baseman/outfielder D.J. Stewart will break camp with the team.  Stewart’s status is a little up in the air since he is the proverbial 26th man on the 26-man roster, and the Mets might yet replace him if a player they like becomes available on the waiver wire or in free agency, as rival teams also make their late cuts.

Short was claimed off waivers from the Tigers last November, and has been much more known for his defensive versatility than his bat (.174/.266/.308 in 450 career plate appearances) over his three MLB seasons in Detroit.  However, Short has looked really good at the plate this spring, while Stewart has struggled.  Ironically, Stewart has almost the opposite profile, as he has been productive if inconsistent in hitting .220/.339/.425 with 37 homers in 807 career PA, but isn’t known as much of a defender.  Stewart joined the Mets on a minor league deal last winter and hit a very solid .244/.333/.506 over 185 PA in his first season in Queens.

Short and Stewart got the nod ahead of a pair of minor league signings in Ji-Man Choi and Jose Iglesias.  The two veterans have opt-outs in their minors contracts but Choi told DiComo that he will report to the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate rather than re-enter free agency.  Iglesias also indicted that he will likely remain with the organization to await another possible opportunity later in the season.

One player who is somewhat unexpectedly heading to Triple-A is Mark Vientos, who was initially slated to be a part-time third baseman and DH heading into camp.  However, New York then signed J.D. Martinez this past week, and while Martinez will begin his season in the minors to make up for his lost spring prep time, Martinez’s presence will monopolize the designated hitter role.  As a result, Brett Baty and Short now could work as a third base platoon, since the Mets want Vientos to get steadier playing time in the minors.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns also noted that the team wants to see Vientos get more work in at third base.  Vientos’ defensive future has long been a question mark, as he is considered a subpar third baseman and playing at DH or first base with the Mets isn’t an option for at least 2024 due to the presence of Martinez and Pete Alonso.  Becoming even a passable third baseman could greatly help Vientos stick in the majors and keep him from being pigeonholed as a first base/DH type at most.  Vientos has hit just .205/.255/.354 with 10 home runs in 274 career PA in the big leagues, but the former second-round pick doesn’t have much left to prove in the minors after three seasons of crushing Triple-A pitching.

Assuming Stewart is indeed the last position player on the roster, the only remaining 26-man decisions facing the Mets are their last two bullpen spots.  DiComo writes that Michael Tonkin is “a heavy favorite for one” spot, and Yohan Ramirez and Sean Reid-Foley are competing for the other job.  All three pitchers are out of minor league options, DiComo notes that rival scouts have been watching Ramirez and Reid-Foley in anticipation of either pitcher potentially being available on the waiver wire.  The loser of the competition might end up traded rather than designated for assignment, if enough interest exists from teams in need of bullpen depth.

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New York Mets Notes Ji-Man Choi Jose Iglesias Mark Vientos Sean Reid-Foley Yohan Ramirez Zack Short

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A’s Acquire Austin Adams

By Nick Deeds | March 24, 2024 at 11:09am CDT

The A’s announced this morning that they’ve acquired right-hander Austin Adams from the Mets in exchange for cash considerations. Adams, who had been in camp with the Mets as a non-roster invitee, has been selected to Oakland’s 40-man roster. In a corresponding move, right-hander Trevor Gott was placed on the 60-day injured list. Gott’s placement on the shelf is hardly a surprise, as it was announced last week that the righty is set to undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the 2024 season.

Adams, 32, was an eighth-round pick in the 2012 draft by the Angels but didn’t make his MLB debut until the 2017 season when he was a member of the Nationals. He entered the 2023 season with 108 big league games under his belt between his time in Washington, Seattle, and San Diego, having pitched to a 3.90 ERA with a 3.81 FIP and a 34.2% strikeout rate during that time. Despite those solid numbers, forearm and shoulder issues had limited his ability to stay on the field and capture a regular role with any of the clubs he had pitched for, leading him to sign a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks prior to the 2023 season.

His performance in Arizona was something of a mixed bag. While the right-hander yielded an unsightly 5.71 ERA in 17 1/3 innings of work with the club prior to a season-ending ankle injury last August, Adams’s peripheral numbers suggest he may have pitched better than those results would indicate. After all, the 32-year-old hurler struck out a solid 27.2% of batters faced while walking 9.9%. That left Adams with a 3.55 xERA and a 3.72 FIP, both far more palatable numbers that are more in line with his career marks. The discrepancy can be explained by both an unusually low 61.6% strand rate and an elevated .333 BABIP, leaving Adams with both far more traffic on the basepaths than expected and those runners scoring more often than usual.

Those positive peripheral signs may have played a role in the Mets decided to sign Adams to a major league deal back in November, after he elected free agency in response to being removed from Arizona’s 40-man roster. That seemingly left Adams in position to be a key piece of the bullpen mix in Queens this season, but the club scuttled those plans by signing more proven relievers such as Adam Ottavino and Jorge Lopez later that winter. That left Adams to be outrighted off the club’s roster just before Spring Training began, though he remained in camp with the club as a non-roster invitee.

Now, Adams once again appears poised to get an Opening Day job after being dealt to Oakland. With the A’s, he figures to slot into the middle of a bullpen that heavily features young arms such as Mason Miller, Kyle Muller, and Mitch Spence. If Adams pitches well early in the season, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him take on late inning duties alongside the likes of Miller and Lucas Erceg in the Oakland bullpen.

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New York Mets Oakland Athletics Transactions Austin Adams Trevor Gott

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Mets Designate Phil Bickford For Assignment

By Mark Polishuk | March 23, 2024 at 8:36am CDT

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.

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New York Mets Transactions Phil Bickford

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