Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
With the acquisition of right-hander Jordan Yamamoto from the Miami Marlins on Monday, as well as the preliminary interest in former Atlanta Brave Mike Foltynewicz, the Mets continue to focus on their pitching depth.
This has been a theme for New York through the offseason, as they have quietly made some shrewd acquisitions to help out both the starting rotations and bullpens at the major league level as well as the upper levels of the minors.
The Mets parted with minor league infielder Federico Polanco to get Yamamoto, and just a few days ago, flipped southpaw Steven Matz to the Toronto Blue Jays for a trio of hurlers led by right-handers Sean Reid-Foley and Yennsy Diaz.
Additionally this winter, the team has added right-handers Jacob Barnes, Sam McWilliams, and Stephen Tarpley as well as lefties Aaron Loup and Joey Lucchesi to the 40-man roster alone. That’s not even including the guys they took fliers on as non-roster invites such as former Phillie Jerad Eickhoff, former highly touted prospect Oscar De La Cruz and former Atlanta Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino.
This is certainly a 180 degree turn from where they were at a season ago, where right-handers Walker Lockett, Corey Oswalt and Ariel Jurado were the extent of depth options.
What’s even more important is that a lot of these acquisitions come with team control and minor league options.
Yamamoto is eligible to become a free agent for the first time in 2027. Reid-Foley in 2025. Lucchesi in 2025.
The previous regime often mortgaged the farm system for fringe big leaguers, and it came back to bite them. When ownership changed hands to Steve Cohen and crew, they were left without a lot of reinforcements at the upper levels of the minors.
Overall, the team’s farm system needs to be replenished as a whole, but team president Sandy Alderson has done a solid job of picking up young players with flexibility without sacrificing unknown or up-and-coming commodities.
