MetsMerized’s Jacob Resnick confirms that the Mets have signed left-handed pitcher Hector Santiago. Rich Mancuso of New York Sports Day was the first to report that the two sides had been in agreement on Friday night.
Matt Ehalt of the Record/North Jersey reports that it is in fact a minor league deal with an invitation to Spring Training.
Santiago, 31, served as a swingman for the Chicago White Sox after five years in the starting rotation for them as well as the Los Angeles Angels and Minnesota Twins. An All-Star in 2015, Santiago has spent his entire career in the American League, where he has compiled a 4.06 ERA, 4.87 FIP, and 1.371 WHIP while averaging 8.0 K/9 against 4.1 BB/9 and 1.4 HR/9.
Though a 4.50 ERA, 5.09 FIP, and 1.588 WHIP in 49 appearances (seven starts) this past year aren’t necessarily inspiring, they belie a much more effective second half in which he held opposing hitters to a .635 OPS while averaging 11.1 K/9 alongside a 24.4% soft-contact rate.
Walks continued to hurt the lefty, as his 3.99 xFIP (a spike in nearly two runs from his ERA) can attest, and his track record against lefties since 2016 has been abysmal (.290/.417/.475 with a 1.03 K/BB ratio), though as a depth piece with experience eating innings, Santiago could have an impact that such arms as Drew Gagnon, P.J. Conlon, and Chris Flexen failed to make in the same role last season. He will join a list of pitching additions that includes Arquimedes Caminero, Casey Coleman, Zach Lee, and Ryan O’Rourke.
