The New York Mets announced that they have optioned Walker Lockett to Triple-A Syracuse and DFA’d Ryan O’Rourke to make room on the 40-man roster for Chris Mazza, who they have selected his contract from Triple-A Syracuse.
Dicomo first broke the news of the Mazza addition earlier, but it is now known that Lockett will be the corresponding move on the 25-man roster.
Lockett, 25, made his second start with the Mets on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies and fared pretty well up until the sixth inning, which ended up being the inning that costed the Mets that game.
He pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed four runs and two walks to go along with four strikeouts. In his other start against the Chicago Cubs in place of Noah Syndergaard (hamstring injury), Lockett allowed six runs in a mere 2 1/3 innings.
O’Rourke, 31, signed a minor-league deal in the offseason and has pitched in two major league games this year, allowing no runs in 1 1/3 innings. At Triple-A Syracuse, O’Rourke has a 3.31 ERA, 1.469 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings (26 appearances).
Mazza, 29, will likely pitch out of the bullpen until Syndergaard is ready to return to take back his spot in the rotation on Sunday, which the demotion of Lockett and his rehab appearance for the Brooklyn Cyclones Tuesday seem to indicate he is.
