The New York Mets have made a roster move, designating veteran right-hander Luis García for assignment. The team has called up reliever Joey Gerber in a corresponding move.
García’s Departure
García, a 14-year veteran, was one of three relievers the team signed to guaranteed Major League contracts over the offseason. Devin Williams and Luke Weaver were also signed. García’s deal was worth $1.75 million, which the Mets will still be required to pay unless another team claims him off waivers. He also had $1.25 million in incentives that he will no longer have a chance to collect.
García was coming off a year with the Dodgers, Nationals and Angels, posting a 3.42 ERA over 55 1/3 innings. However, his sinker velocity has decreased this season. It’s down almost 3 mph from his 96.9 mph average last year and almost 5 mph from his 2022 peak. García allowed multiple earned runs in two of his six appearances, finishing with a 7.11 ERA. He last pitched against the Athletics, throwing one scoreless inning.
Manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged the difficulty of the decision. “It wasn’t [an easy decision],” Mendoza said. “Obviously, Louie had to pitch yesterday. We were [hoping to stay] away from him until [Luke Weaver] got in trouble. We needed to have a fresh arm here.”
Gerber’s Opportunity
Gerber, 28, last appeared in the Majors for the Rays last season. He has a 3.60 ERA over 19 Major League appearances. Gerber had pitched to a 5.40 ERA over his first four outings this year at Triple-A Syracuse.
Mets’ Bullpen Moves
The DFA was the Mets’ second bullpen move of the weekend. On Saturday, they called up veteran Craig Kimbrel and designated left-hander Richard Lovelady for assignment.
Mendoza explained the reasoning behind calling up Gerber. “We needed [a fresh] arm, especially the way we used the bullpen the last couple of nights. We felt that we needed some protection there in case something bad happens again,” Mendoza said.