The Mets have activated reliever Ryota Igarashi from the disabled list and he will be in the bullpen when the Mets play their finale tonight against the Yankees.
According to mets.com, rather than send highly regarded prospect Jenrry Mejia back to the Minor Leagues to stretch out as a starter, the Mets opted to keep Mejia on the roster following Saturday’s 5-3 win over the Yankees, instead optioning Manny Acosta to Triple-A Buffalo to make room for reliever Ryota Igarashi.
With Igarashi ready to return from his stay on the 15-day disabled list, the Mets needed to make space on their roster — and manager Jerry Manuel indicated as recently as this week that the team might use the opportunity to send Mejia back to the Minors.
But about an hour after Mejia pitched into and out of a seventh-inning jam in Saturday’s win, Manuel announced the demotion of Acosta.
Asked what the team plans to do with Mejia, Manuel said simply: “Do what he did tonight — seventh inning.”
Manuel also added that the team still haven’t made any decision as to what direction they will go with Mejia this season. Previously, Manuel has stated that he needs the right-handed Mejia to give him flexibility late in games.
Igarashi, was pitching well and had a 1.35 ERA before straining his left hamstring in April.
