Updated Post: February 11, 10:00 am ET – 

The New York Mets announce that reliever Austin Adams has cleared waivers after being designated for assignment to make room for the Jake Diekman signing.

Adams has been outrighted to Triple-A Syracuse, but will still attend spring training as a non-roster invitee.

Adams was signed to a major-league deal at the end of November early in the offseason. Adams owns a career 4.17 ERA over 114 1/3 major-league innings. His career FIP of 3.80 indicates he has deserved better results.

Original Story –

The New York Mets’ offseason is now off and running. As president of baseball operations, David Stearns has begun building his vision for the 2024 roster. On Wednesday night, the Mets added depth to the pitching rotation by signing former New York Yankee Luis Severino. After the signing of Severino, the team added Joey Wendle to their bench—a versatile utility player who can play good defense across the infield.

On Thursday, the Mets added more hopeful depth to the 2024 roster, this time to the bullpen. The Mets announced they’ve signed reliever Austin Adams to a one-year major league contract. The deal is a non-guaranteed split. 

Adams has bounced around MLB since 2017, when he started with the Washington Nationals after being traded there from the team that drafted him in 2012, the Los Angeles Angels. The Nationals traded him to the Seattle Mariners in 2019, and they traded him to the San Diego Padres in 2020.

In 2021, control issues plagued Adams with the Padres as he hit 24 batters in 52.2 innings pitched to lead all of baseball. Last year, he signed a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks and was called up to the big league club in May. He pitched just 24 games with the Diamondbacks with a 5.71 ERA before a fractured ankle on a comebacker ended his season.

Adams comes to the Mets with a career 4.17 ERA and 13.4 K/9. His preferred pitch to throw is his slider, which he has used almost 90% of the time. Since 2021, hitters are batting .166 against Adams’ slider.

The Mets hope Adams can provide some depth in a bullpen that desperately needs it to pair up with the returning Edwin Díaz, and Brooks Raley. Adam Ottavino is now a free agent, and David Robertson is back on the market this offseason. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner will look to work on Adams’ control and utilize his strength with the slider.