The Major League Baseball Players Association announced that Francisco Lindor will not play in the World Baseball Classic.

Lindor had a small cleanup procedure on his right elbow following the 2025 season and that made him ineligible to play because of insurance constraints.

Lindor is expected to be fully healthy for spring training later this month.

There have been multiple reports have players failing to get the necessary insurance to play in the upcoming WBC.

Latest Mets News

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com shared pictures on X Friday of the Mets’ equipment truck packing up and departing for Port St. Lucie. The 2026 season is right around the corner for the Mets, as pitchers and catchers are set to report on February 11. The Mets’ position players are set to report on February 16.

Will Sammon of The Athletic detailed the Mets’ roster overhaul this season, including how they landed players such as Jorge Polanco and Bo Bichette.

Latest MLB News

Per Jeff Passan of ESPN, the A’s signed shortstop Jacob Wilson to a seven-year, $70 million contract. The 23-year-old had an exceptional rookie season, batting .311 with 13 home runs.

Passan also reported that Mariners starter Logan Evans underwent Tommy John surgery last week. Evans made 15 starts for the Mariners in 2025 and had a 4.32 ERA.

The Twins and president of baseball operations Derek Falvey parted ways on Friday. He had been with the Twins since he was hired in October of 2016.

Former Met David Robertson announced his retirement on Friday. The 40-year-old was consistently one of the best relievers in baseball throughout his 17-year career, which he started with the Yankees. He spent just half a season with the Mets in 2023 before being dealt at the trade deadline, but he was phenomenal with a 2.05 ERA and 14 saves in 40 appearances. He ends his career with a stellar 2.93 ERA and 179 saves.

Latest on MMO

Robert Colonna breaks down what a contract extension for Freddy Peralta could look like.

Jack Markowski discusses how Christian Scott will be a wild card for the Mets this season.

On This Date in Mets History

1962: Ralph Kiner signed on to join the broadcast booth alongside Bob Murphy and Lindsay Nelson for the expansion Mets.

Born on This Date: Alex Claudio (1992), Guillermo Heredia (1991), Rafael Santana (1958), Bob Apodaca (1950), Nolan Ryan (1947).

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The Phillies are reportedly giving Robertson $16 million for the remainder of the season. Importantly, that $16 million is being prorated over the remainder of the season.

Robertson remained unsigned throughout the offseason, but recently threw for teams in Rhode Island. Notably, the New York Mets were reportedly one of the teams that attended, and were interested in signing the veteran reliever.

Robertson pitched for the Mets in 2023 and was superb. He posted a 2.05 ERA across 44 innings before being dealt to the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline. The Mets received infielder Marco Vargas and catcher Ronald Hernandez in the trade.

Robertson, 40 years old, has pitched for eight different teams. Most recently, he spent 2024 with the Texas Rangers posting a 3.00 ERA. He was acquired by the Phillies in 2022 from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for pitcher Ben Brown. He had a 2.70 ERA down the stretch with Philadelphia as they made a run to the World Series.

He projects to be a valuable member for a Phillies bullpen that desperately needs reinforcements given the unit’s struggles and the suspension of left-handed reliever Jose Alvarado.

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Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

According to Sammon, Robertson will be throwing for interested clubs, and multiple teams are expected to attend one of his throwing sessions within the next week.

The veteran right-hander declined a $7 million player option last offseason, opting instead for a $1.5 million buyout. Despite his consistent performance, he went unsigned, an outcome that was somewhat surprising given how effective he’s remained even at age 40.

In 2024, Robertson posted a 3.00 ERA over 68 appearances. That came on the heels of a 3.04 ERA in 62 games in 2023, during which he played for the Mets (2.05 ERA in 44 innings) and a 2.40 ERA in 58 games in 2022. Across a decorated 16-year career, he owns a 2.91 ERA and was named an All-Star back in 2011. The Mets traded Robertson to the Marlins in 2023 for prospects Marco Vargas and Ronald Hernandez, who are both generally viewed as Top 30 prospects in the Mets’ system.

Robertson relies on a five-pitch mix that’s anchored by a cutter that has consistently held steady at around 92-93 mph throughout his career. He pairs it with a hard knuckle curve that plays well off the cutter’s movement.

The Mets were expected to seek bullpen help ahead of the July 31 trade deadline, and Robertson offers a low-cost, non-farm-system-depleting option.

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Plenty of quality free agent options are available just a few weeks before pitchers and catchers report (Feb 12. for the Mets).

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Kirby Yates saved 33 games for the Rangers, fanned 85 in 61.2 innings, and posted a career-best 1.17 ERA and 0.82 WHIP. The 38-year-old made the All-Star team and finished eighth in Cy Young voting. Yates’ 2024 teammate, David Robertson, 39, had 99 punchouts in 72 innings and pitched to a 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in his 16th season.

Kenley Jansen, 37, was 4-2 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.06 WHIP for the Red Sox with 27 saves in 31 attempts. The right-hander, the active career saves leader (447, fourth all-time), held batters to a .196/.271/.304 slash line.

Before he gave up a grand slam to Francisco Lindor in the NLDS, Carlos Estévez saved 26 games for the Angels and Phillies and pitched to a 2.45 ERA and 0.90 WHIP across 55 innings.

Kyle Finnegan was 3-8 with a 3.68 ERA and 1.33 WHIP while striking out 60 in 63.2 innings for the Nationals. The right-hander saved 38 games (second in the National League) in 43 attempts.

Ex-Met Paul Sewald, 34, had 43 strikeouts in 39.2 innings for Arizona last year with 16 saves in 20 tries. His ERA jumped to 4.31, more than a full run higher than in 2023 (3.12).

Some other right-handers still searching for work include Tommy Kahnle (2.11 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 46 Ks, 42.2 IP) and Kendall Graveman, who missed 2024 after right shoulder surgery. Graveman posted a 3.12 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in 2023 with the White Sox and Astros.

Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

If the Mets choose to add another southpaw, available lefties include Danny Coulombe (2.12 ERA, 0.67 WHIP, 32 Ks, 29.2 IP, Orioles), Tim Hill (3.36 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 67 IP, Yankees), Andrew Chafin (3.51 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 70 Ks, 56.1 IP, Rangers) and Brooks Raley, who threw seven shutout innings for the Mets before getting injured. The 36-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery and is expected to be ready for the second half of 2025. In 2023, Raley had 61 strikeouts in 54.2 innings with a 2.80 ERA and 1.26 WHIP.

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Age: 39 (04/09/1985)

2024 Traditional Stats: 68 G, 72 IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.111 WHIP, 99 K, 27 BB

2024 Advanced Stats: 132 ERA+, 33.5% K%, 9.1% BB%, 3.22 xERA, 2.65 FIP, 2.88 xFIP, 1.9 fWAR, 1.7 bWAR

Rundown

Four years ago, David Robertson‘s major league career seemed all but over. He’d undergone Tommy John surgery, then suffered a setback that forced him to miss all of the 2020 season. Yet in 2024, Robertson proved for the third straight year that he’s still a reliable arm, putting together a season reminiscent of his younger years.

Robertson threw a career-high 72 innings, and while his 3.00 ERA may not jump off the page, his 2.65 FIP and 2.88 xFIP are his strongest marks since 2017, as is his 33.5% strikeout rate and 47% ground-ball rate. His 99 strikeouts are the second-highest total of his career, trailing just his All-Star 2011 campaign, and he allowed just five home runs, the fewest he’s surrendered in a full season since 2013.

Robertson made headlines on June 12 when he struck out Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman in order, becoming the first pitcher to do so in the season. The next night, Robertson did it again, punching out the three MVPs in a row, this time escaping a two-on, none-out jam. Robertson’s ERA climbed to a season-high 3.62 ERA after the Mets tagged him for a pair of runs on June 18, but from that point forward, he posted a 2.50 ERA and held his opponents to a .561 OPS over 39 2/3 innings.

Just like the rest of his career, Robertson’s cutter was his bread-and-butter pitch in 2024, registering a strong plus-19 run value, the third-most valuable cutter in the majors, trailing only Corbin Burnes and Emmanuel Clase. Robertson didn’t lose any velocity on the cutter, still averaging 93.3 miles per hour and seeing the whiff rate increase to 30.8%, the highest it’s ever been. His curveball took a step back though, getting rocked for a .292 xBA and .475 xSLG, and the whiff rate on the pitch dropped from 37.8% to 28.7%. Robertson used his cutter 63.4% of the time and his curve at a 26.8% rate, only using his slider 6.7% of the time, compared to 19.9% in 2023.

Contract

MLB Trade Rumors predicts Robertson will get a one-year deal worth $11 million. He made $10 million each of the last two seasons and declined his end of a $7 million mutual option following this season. It is unknown whether or not Robertson will continue to play beyond the 2025 season.

Recommendation

If Robertson were to return to the Mets, it would be his fourth go-around in the Big Apple. He has been successful in each of his three tenures in New York and has extensive playoff experience, owning a 3.04 ERA in 42 playoff appearances. The primary concern with Robertson is his age, as he’ll turn 40 next April. The bullpen was the Mets’ biggest weakness for the majority of the 2024 season and Robertson can still serve as a high-leverage arm, plus he has closing experience and can spell Edwin Díaz some rest when necessary. Reunions don’t always work out, but Robertson seems like a great fit for a Mets team with big aspirations in 2025.

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Ryne Stanek, a key piece after coming over from the Mariners midseason, is a free agent. Phil Maton‘s status is also up in the air. The team has a $7.75 million option to pick up the 31-year-old’s contract. Additionally, president of baseball operations David Stearns said that David Peterson, Tylor Megill and José Buttó may all find themselves in the ‘pen (or starting) come 2025. The situation is fluid.

Here are six relievers the Mets should take a look at.

Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Carlos Estévez

Stats: 4-5, 2.45 ERA, 0.90 WHIP

The 31-year-old right-hander acquired by the Phillies from the Angels midseason had a career year, eclipsing his previous career-best ERA by more than a run. He struck out 50 and walked 12 in 55 innings while recording 26 saves between the two clubs. (He also would not have to face Francisco Lindor again, who tagged him for a grand slam in Game 4 of the NLDS.)

Tanner Scott

Stats: 9-6, 1.75 ERA, 1.12 WHIP

He will be one of the more coveted relievers this offseason and the Mets could use a quality left-hander to complement righty closer Díaz. Scott, 30, fanned 84 in 72 innings and tallied 22 saves combined for the Marlins and Padres, where he was traded at the deadline. He pitched 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief with seven strikeouts for San Diego in the playoffs. He won’t have a qualifying offer attached to him.

Clay Holmes

Stats: 3-5, 3.14 ERA, 1.30 WHIP

It was an uneven year for Holmes with the Yankees. He saved 30 games, but led the majors in blown saves with 13 and lost his closer job. Still, the 31-year-old struck out 68 in 63 innings and has fanned more than a batter per inning for four consecutive seasons. In 10 1/3 postseason innings so far, the right-hander has given up three earned runs.

Jeff Hoffman

Stats: 3-3, 2.17 ERA, 0.96 WHIP

He saved 10 games and struck out 89 in 66 1/3 innings for the Phillies while walking 16 and pitching to the lowest ERA of his nine-year career. The 31-year-old righty spent five years with the Rockies and two with the Reds before landing in Philadelphia, where he was a first-time All-Star this season.

David Robertson

Stats: 3-4, 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP

The 39-year-old ex-Met had an excellent season with the Rangers, striking out 99 in 72 innings and saving a couple of games. The right-hander is a 16-year MLB veteran with 177 career saves who could have another good season in him and provide invaluable insight to the Mets’ younger pitchers. He is 6-0 with a 3.04 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 47 1/3 career playoff innings.

Tommy Kahnle

Stats: 0-2, 2.11 ERA, 1.14 WHIP

The 35-year-old right-hander who had Tommy John surgery in 2020 has put together back-to-back good seasons with the Yankees. This year, he fanned 46 in 42 2/3 innings and walked 19. He has tossed 8 2/3 scoreless postseason innings with seven strikeouts. He’s got a ferocious change up that would play well in the middle of the bullpen.

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Jul 19, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins relief pitcher Tanner Scott (66) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the ninth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

David Melendi

A lefty reliever or two. And an outfielder. Tanner Scott from Miami and Randy Arozarena might be available. Six weeks ago I thought a run at the playoffs was a long shot at best, but OMG was I wrong. I’d love to see what this team can do in October.

James Villani

The Mets are in an interesting spot. Becoming a playoff team and being a legit wild card contender would be considered ahead of schedule for the organization. Sometimes buying too early and too much can hurt or stunt a team’s “rebuild.” With all that being said, when David Stearns does likely choose to be a buyer, he should be relatively cautious and certainly think about the team’s future in his dealings.

The specific position group he should target is certainly the bullpen. Namely, controllable arms that will help the team as they continue on their upward trajectory. Though Jake Diekman has done his job against left-handers (.578 OPS), the performance against righties has been too costly; a lefty who does not have such dramatic splits would probably be wise.

Given the overall struggles of Jose Quintana (5.18 xERA) and Tylor Megill (4.45 xERA), as well as the likely-to-regress David Peterson (5.36 xERA), addressing the rotation would probably be smart. However, with the depth (José Buttó and Christian Scott) and the imminent return of Kodai Senga, as well as the idea of not wanting to over-buy, that might not be realistic.

Another bat, with the injury of Starling Marte (who was having a bounce-back year) and the regression of DJ Stewart closer to his career averages. Major-league-level outfield depth would probably be wise and can potentially be had for a practicable price. Luckily for the Mets, their offense has been one of the best in baseball (4th in wRC+ and 3rd in xwOBA); so any additions do not have to be major.

Christian De Block

The Mets need two, maybe three relievers, one of which has to be a lefty. To me, that is a non-negotiable. Offensively, Stearns should take a hard look at adding to their pool of outfielders. Brandon Nimmo and Harrison Bader have been fantastic, but for most of this season, right field has been a point of weakness. Starling Marte’s timetable for a return is unknown and DJ Stewart has performed well below the level he showed in 2023. Adding an outfielder, preferably one that is left-handed, would be ideal.

Matt Lazzaro

The bullpen is by far the biggest need, but more importantly a reliable left-handed reliever. Jake Diekman simply cannot be your go-to lefty out of the pen late in games and has cost games for the team up to this point in the season. Adding one lefty and one righty to the pen is ideal, if not more.

A left-handed bench bat that can platoon in the outfield to replace DJ Stewart’s roster spot would be helpful. I wouldn’t rule out a left-handed hitting infielder for the right deal either. With McNeil currently struggling, and if he happens to turn things around he can then help out in the corner outfield spots to give some roster flexibility.

Mathias Altman-Kurosaki

Shoring up the bullpen needs to be David Stearns’ top priority. It’s a miracle the Mets are in a playoff spot with how badly the bullpen has struggled. Getting a southpaw is a must, with Brooks Raley out for the year and Jake Diekman underperforming. The team also needs a corner outfielder, especially with Starling Marte seemingly out for most of the summer. DJ Stewart has just three extra-base hits since May 1, and while Tyrone Taylor has played better lately, he has a .512 OPS against lefties. The Mets shouldn’t necessarily mortgage their future for a Wild Card spot, but there are moves that can be made to help them make some noise in the second half.

Johnluke Chaparro

As many of my fellow colleagues have stated: bullpen bullpen bullpen! Another bat might be able to help bolster the offense but the main cause is the pitching. Pennant teams always have a strong pen or shore up their reinforcements at the deadline. Reed Garrett and Dedinel Nunez can only be used so much at this point. Another arm or two can go a long ways in making this team stronger.

Chris Bello

I truly believe the Mets should be all in this year. The National League is weak this season outside the Phillies, and the American League’s top teams this year — the Yankees and Orioles — have shown flaws this season. Again, after the Phillies, there’s no clear dominant team.

If the Mets decide to push for an NL Pennant this season, they need two relievers and a front-line starter. Tanner Scott of the Marlins and Michael Kopech of the White Sox would be my ideal adds to the pen. If those aren’t possibilities then I’d shift attention to Brent Suter of the Reds and Lucas Erceg of the Athletics.

For the rotation, I’d inquire about Garrett Crochet. Realistically the Mets would fall short of a deal for the lefty, but he would give the Mets a true No. 1 for the playoffs. A deal I believe is less in question is a package for Nathan Eovaldi and David Robertson. The only roadblock in that potential deal is the Rangers’ direction at the trade deadline.

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B/T: L/R      Age: 5/14/2005 (18)
Ht: 5’11”        Wt: 170 lb.
Acquired: Via trade during the 2023 season (David Robertson)
ETA: 2026  Previous Rank: N/A
Stats (FCL/ Low A-St. Lucie): .275/.432/.821, 2 HR, 28 RBI, 53 BB, 38 K

Initially signed by the Marlins as a 17-year-old out of Chihuahua, Mexico, in 2022, Vargas came over to the Mets, along with Ronald Hernandez, in the deal that sent closing pitcher David Robertson to the Marlins. He is regarded as one of the best bat-to-ball hitters in the entire Mets organization. Standing 5’11, Vargas has made a name for himself within the lower minor leagues with his elite barrel control and plate discipline.

As a testament to his reputation as an elite prospect at the age of 18, former Mets General Manager Billy Eppler said this about Vargas after the trade, “With Vargas, a left-handed bat, middle of the diamond, shortstop profile right now. Elite contact. Elite decision-making. He has above average exit velocity for the level.” (North Jersey.com).

According to the MLB Pipeline, Vargas’s highest grades are his hit and fielding tools at 60 and 50, respectively. MLB Pipeline has his power scouting grade at 40, though he has shown gap-to-gap power as a doubles hitter. Although he may not have much home run power yet (he has yet to hit a home run since being traded), Vargas has demonstrated his elite ability to swing at great pitches at a young age – he was the only Minor Leaguer last season aged 18 or younger who walked more than he struck out over 250 plate appearances or more. This plate discipline could lead to more extra-base potential as he continues to develop physically, especially with how he can consistently make quality contact on the ball.

Vargas dominated in the Dominican Summer League in ’22, earning team MVP honors and league All-Star with his Marlins squad with a .319/.423/.456 slash line. His first full summer stateside was equally impressive, slashing .275/.432/.821 along with the BB/K ratio of 53/38, as previously mentioned. After joining the Mets in the David Robertson deal in late July of last year, Vargas continued to shine, collecting 19 hits in only 21 games, though all were single base hits.

2024 OUTLOOK

Vargas has started the season with Low-A St Lucie and will look to continue to improve his power numbers while maintaining his elite hit tool. Unfortunately, he has already had two week-long stints on the injured list, so he has had a difficult start to the year. When on the field, Vargas has performed well. In four games, he has four hits, four walks, four stolen bases, and only four strikeouts. He hopes to stay healthy and see continued development in his strength as he climbs the Mets minor league ladder. 

PREVIOUS RANKINGS

• No.7 – Ronny Mauricio
• No.8- Kevin Parada
• No.9 – Jeremy Rodríguez 
• No. 10 – Mike Vasil
• No. 11 – Colin Houck
• No. 12 – Blade Tidwell
• No. 13 – Yovanny Rodriguez
• No. 14 – Dom Hamel
• No. 15 – Brandon Sproat
• No. 16—Jacob Reimer
• No. 17—Jesus Baez
• No. 18—Boston Baro
• No. 19—Ronald Hernandez
• No. 20—Alex Ramírez
• No. 21-25
• No. 26-30
• No. 31-35

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According to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, Díaz will pitch on Monday against the Miami Marlins. Mendoza said he will be kept up to 20 pitches. It will mark the first time Díaz has pitched in a major-league game since Game 3 of the 2022 National League Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres. The last time we saw Diaz in a Mets uniform in 2022, he was the best relief pitcher in baseball posting a dominant season. He totaled 32 saves, posted a 1.31 ERA, and struck out 118 batters. Since 2020, Díaz has saved 70 games for the Mets with an ERA of 2.27 as well as 257 strikeouts. 

Edwin Díaz. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

With Díaz ready to return to major league games, the Mets’ bullpen gets its best reliever back. Last year, David Robertson did a solid job as New York’s closer. He saved 14 games before he was traded to the Marlins. After that, Brooks Raley and Adam Ottavino shared the closer role. However, as expected, Díaz’s absence played an extremely large role in the Mets bullpen’s overall struggles in 2023. Simply because Raley, Ottavino, and Robertson were supposed to be the bridges to Díaz.

With the elite closer back now back, Raley, Ottavino, and free agent acquisitions, Jake Diekman and Shintaro Fujinami, can focus on getting the ball to their electric closer. The trumpets have returned. 

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The noise was warranted. In two seasons for Georgia Tech, he hit .341/.420/.636, powered by an amazing 2022, where he hit .361/.453/.709. The Mets had him play in 13 games between their Florida Coast League team and the St. Lucie Mets, where he put together a combined .275/.455/.425 slashline.

While 2022 was solid, 2023 came with inconsistencies for Parada. He hit well in Brooklyn, slashing .265/.340/.447 in  87 games (382 PAs). These numbers were pretty good for a catcher, but the expectations were set high for Parada, who was drafted as a bat-first player. The Mets bumped him up for 14 games to Binghamton and the struggles set in. In 60 plate appearances, Parada’s slash line dropped to .185/.250/.389. Overall, last year was a step backward. Going into the season, Law has Parada listed as the 7th best prospect in the Mets system.

While Parada is still the Mets’ best catching prospect, two new names are coming through the system that could push ahead of the Georgia Tech alum. The first is Ronald Hernandez. The Mets acquired Hernandez in the David Robertson trade last year, and after the trade, he slashed .286/.509/.486 in 14 games. Hernandez is only two years younger than Parada.

The Mets also signed 17-year-old Yovanny Rodriguez, possibly the top catcher in this year’s international free agency pool. Like Álvarez, Rodriguez hails from Venezuela and is showing maturity with the bat. According to MLB.com, his framing and footwork are advanced for his age, and has a “chess-like” mindset for calling games. MLB.com ranked Rodriguez as their sixth overall international prospect in 2024.

Ahead of Parada on the depth chart is Álvarez. All of this puts Parada in an interesting position this year. There is pressure on the depth chart behind him, but both of those catchers are much farther away from the majors than Parada. Ahead of Parada is Álvarez, who should be the Mets starting catcher for the foreseeable future. This takes the pressure off of the Mets to push Parada quickly through the system.

This spring, many will be looking for Parada to get back to his 2022 form. That means hitting for power, getting on base at a higher clip, and an improvement to his defense.

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