The Mets made a couple of moves pertaining to their bullpen besides re-signing Edwin Díaz.
The Mets declined the option on Mychal Givens and made him a free agent, according to Will Sammon of the Athletic.
Givens was traded to the Mets during the 2022 deadline in exchange for minor league pitcher Saúl González. After posting a 2.66 ERA and 11.3 SO/9 with the Cubs, Givens performed poorly for his former manager Buck Showalter. He allowed 11 runs in 20 2/3 innings and his strikeouts per nine dropped to 8.7.
The Mets would have owed Givens $3.5 million for one year if they decided to keep the right-handed reliever. Givens joins a majority of the Mets’ bullpen that became a free agent after the 2022 season. While Givens wasn’t effective initially in Queens, he did not give up an earned run in his last 11 1/3 innings.
The Mets also claimed Tayler Saucedo off waivers from the Blue Jays. The left-handed reliever had a 5.40 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in his 28 1/3 innings in MLB. However, Saucedo has been effective against lefties and has held them to a .182 average during his MLB tenure.
