The Mets have released right-hander Vance Worley, reports Betsy Helfand of the Las Vegas Journal-Review (via Twitter). The veteran right-hander had been on the disabled list with the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Vegas.
Worley, 30, signed with the Mets back in mid-April to provide some rotation depth, but he made just four starts with the 51’s before landing on the disabled list with an elbow issue (per Helfand). The results weren’t pretty in the 16 2/3 inning Worley was healthy enough to pitch, as he was clobbered for 25 runs on 29 hits and a dozen walks with just five strikeouts.
Given the extreme nature of his struggles, it’s perhaps not surprising that he wound up on the DL with elbow troubles. Worley, after all, entered his stint with the Mets with a career 3.55 ERA in 278 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level and a 4.09 ERA in 667 big league innings. While he was coming off one of his worst big league seasons — 6.91 ERA, 6.3 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 in 71 2/3 innings with Miami — it certainly does appear he was pitching at less than 100 percent in his brief time with Vegas.
Depending on the health of his elbow moving forward, Worley could well land with another organization as a depth option in the upper minors later this season. The righty did post a 3.38 ERA (3.98 FIP) in 269 innings from 2014-16 with the Pirates and Orioles.