It didn’t make the back page of the New York Post or Daily News when the Mets inked right-handed pitcher Adbert Alzolay to a two-year minor league pact on Jan. 9, 2025, but it was a methodical move that required a touch of patience.
Sandwiched between the free agent signing of superstar outfielder Juan Soto a month prior, and the re-signing of fan favorite Pete Alonso a month later, Alzolay joining the Mets was more of a notch on the team’s transaction page than anything/(than a marquee acquisition?)
Alzolay was picked up by the Mets after a disappointing 2024 season with the Chicago Cubs, which concluded with the Venezuelan-born pitcher undergoing Tommy John surgery in August of that year, followed by a designation for assignment and ultimately non-tendering.
Signed as an international free agent in 2013, Alzolay made his MLB debut for the Cubs in 2019 against the Mets, where he picked up his first major league win after firing four innings of one-run ball in relief.
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It wasn’t until 2021 that Alzolay got an extended look in the majors, however. In 29 games that year (21 starts), Alzolay was a mixed bag, pitching to a 4.58 ERA over 125 and 2/3 innings.
2022 was a lost season for the righty as he missed almost the entirety of the campaign with a shoulder strain, but just a year later, he finally burst on the scene.
Healthy and pitching exclusively in relief, Alzolay earned the nickname “The People’s Fist” after locking down 22 saves, each one ending with a celebratory fist pump.
A 2.67 ERA, 0.7 HR/9 and a minuscule 13 walks over 58 games established the-then 28-year-old as one of the more exciting arms in the game.
Taking a look at Alzolay’s Baseball Savant page from that season, there’s a lot to like: 79th percentile in chase rate, 92nd percentile in walk percentage, 81st percentile in walk percentage. It seemed as though Alzolay had finally arrived, but his injury history caught up to him again.
The Mets are banking on reclaiming some of that 2023 magic Alzolay flashed in Wrigleyville.
With the uncertainty surrounding the Mets’ bullpen after long-time closer Edwin Diaz signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers last week, as well as the rest of the team’s bullpen in flux, Alzolay is an arm who is a low-risk, high-reward lottery ticket for the 2026 team. H
Alzolay is back healthy and pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason. He’s made three appearances, including back-to-back scoreless outings in his last two.
The Mets have already welcomed former Brewers closer Devin Williams into the fold as one high-leverage piece. They are sure to add at least a couple more, especially with Díaz gone, but they may already have one upside arm in-house.
