The Mets introduced this afternoon that they’ve acquired left-hander Matt Gage from the Dodgers in alternate for money issues. Gage was subsequently optioned to Triple-A. The Mets transferred right-hander Drew Smith to the 60-day injured checklist to make room for Gage on the 40-man roster.
Gage, 31, was a tenth-round decide by the Giants again in 2014 however didn’t make his large league debut till 2022 as a member of the Blue Jays. Since then, he’s appeared in 16 video games between the 2022 and 2023 campaigns on the large league degree with Toronto and Houston. He’s carried out fairly effectively in that point, with a incredible 1.83 ERA and a strong 3.97 FIP in 19 2/3 innings of labor. He sports activities a formidable 26% strikeout charge throughout his time within the majors however has walked an elevated 11.7% of opponents as effectively, elevating questions on his management.
Gage arrived in L.A. as a part of the Caleb Ferguson commerce with the Yankees over the winter and re-signed with the membership on a minor league deal again in April shortly after being launched from his large league contract. He’s pitched for the membership on the Triple-A degree since then, posting a good 4.29 ERA in 21 innings with ratios paying homage to those he flashed throughout his time within the majors. He struck out a formidable 29.3% of batters confronted with L.A.’s Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma Metropolis however paired that high-octane stuff with a 13% stroll charge. The Dodgers opted to choose Gage to the 40-man roster final week after he triggered an opt-out clause in his contract, however he remained on the Triple-A degree for the rest of his time within the group.
Now with the Mets, Gage figures to function optionable bullpen depth for a membership that has seen its relievers battle in current months. For the reason that begin of Might, Mets relievers have struggled to a 4.62 ERA that bests solely the Pirates and Rockies amongst NL golf equipment, and their 4.50 FIP throughout that very same timeframe ranks fourth from the underside within the majors. Specifically, the Mets have struggled to search out manufacturing from the left facet within the bullpen this 12 months. Veteran southpaw Jake Diekman has posted a 5.06 ERA and 5.61 FIP in 26 2/3 innings of labor throughout his age-37 season for the membership this 12 months, whereas depth choices Tyler Jay (7.71 ERA in 4 2/3 innings) and Josh Walker (5.11 ERA in 12 1/3 innings) have carried out even worse in small pattern sizes. The struggles of the membership’s inner choices ought to present Gage with a comparatively clear path to a task on the large league degree for the Mets, as long as he can produce at a degree wherever close to what he’s performed prior to now for the Blue Jays and Astros.
As for Smith, his placement on the 60-day IL is hardly a shock given current reporting that the righty is prone to require Tommy John surgical procedure because of vital injury to his ulnar collateral ligament. He was already ticketed for an prolonged absence previous to his placement on the IL, and the switch mustn’t influence his timeline with the rest of his 2024 marketing campaign already doubtful.
