Mets Roster Central: A Pen Full of Former Enemies

As the Mets' lineup continues to struggle, they address their issues in classic fashion — by futzing around with the bullpen. Oddly enough, they seem to be cornering the market on former Braves bullpen mainstays to add to their collection of Yankee relievers.

Transactions, 4/6/2026

COMING

Signed away from SEA to Minor-League Contract, Placed on Syracuse Development List

Relief Pitchers

Luke Jackson

R/R DoB: 1991-08-24 High Level: MLB (2025)

Luke Jackson was an indifferent piece of the Braves pen back in the teens, but then had an out-of-this world season in 2021. He paid for that by missing 2022 with UCL surgery and has bounced around the league since, with occasional success.

That 2021 season helped the Braves to a championship, giving Jackson one more reason to be joyful following the birth of his son a few weeks earlier, leading Luke to celebrate following Game Three inviting his wife Corrine and baby onto the field for a post-game cuddle.

Transactions, 4/9/2026

COMING

Sent to St. Lucie on Rehab Assignment

Relief Pitchers

A.J. Minter

L/L DoB: 1993-09-02 High Level: MLB (2025)

Former Braves relief standby #2 is AJ Minter, who gave the 2025 Mets a few weeks of effective bullpenning before going down with a left lat strain that led to season-ending surgery. Mets Roster Central's mindset says that strains aren't supposed to lead to season-ending surgery, but we are not lat doctors.

We are as happy to see the re-emergence of Minter, and while we are as dubious as experience might suggest with regards to how much he has left, we have to look at his rehab assignment as starting the DFA clock on Richard Lovelady, who knows a thing or two about DFAs.

Transactions, 4/11/2026

GOING	COMING
Designated for Assignment	Added to 40-Player Roster and Promoted from St. Lucie
Relief Pitchers	Relief Pitchers
Richard Lovelady	Craig Kimbrel
L/L DoB: 1995-07-07 High Level: MLB (2026)	R/R DoB: 32291 High Level: MLB (2025)

Well, that DFA clock sure wound down quickly. And the Mets squeezed as much juice as the could out of Dickie by using him in mopup duty last night. The bell was tolling for poor Lovelady the whole time.

It is hard to argue that Craig Kimbrel is distinctly ready to launch himself on the 2026 season, with only a single inning of A-Level competition since he came up short of the roster in Spring Training, but they don't call him "Dirty Craig" for nothing, and he hasn't made nine All-Star Teams for nothing. He's a weirdo at the end of his career, but he finds a way to get it done.

Dirty Craig will be rocking his standard 46, which has been on his back for most of his 440 career saves. It isn't expected that he will take a lot of ninth-inning leads to protect away from Devin Williams, but he is currently fifth on the all-time save list, 38 behind Lee Smith and an active Kenley Jansen. Who knows if he will get a chance to make a further run piling up saves, but if doesn't come to blows with his father-in-law under the stands at Citi, a Hall-of-Fame future is all but guaranteed.

Your Mets Coaching Staff

Manager	Bench Coach	Pitching Coach	Hitting Coordinator	Third Base Coach	First Base Coach	Bullpen Coach	Ass't Pitching Coach
Carlos Mendoza	Kai Correa	Justin Willard	Jeff Albert	Tim Leiper	Gilbert Gomez	José Rosado	Dan McKinney
DoB: 1979-11-27	DoB: 1989-07-14	DoB: 1990-09-09	DoB: 1992-08-16	DoB: 1996-07-19	DoB: 1992-03-08	DoB: 1974-11-09	DoB: 1989-06-06
Hitting Coach	Strategy Coach	Catching Coach	Coaching Assistant	Bat'g Practice Pitcher	Equipment Manager	Bullpen Catchers	Bullpen Catchers
Troy Snitker	Danny Barnes	J.P. Arencibia	Rafael Fernandez	Kevin Mahoney	Kevin Kierst	Eric Langill	Dave Racaniello
DoB: 1988-12-05	DoB: 1989-10021	DoB: 1986-01-05	DoB: 1988-08-03	DoB: 1987-05-11	DoB: 1964-07-09	DoB: 1979-04-09	DoB: 1978-06-03

Your Mets Training Staff

Director of Player Health	Head Athletic Trainer	Assistant Athletic Trainer	Reconditioning Coordinator	Reconditioning Therapist	Head Performance Coach	Assistant Performance Coach	Performance Coordinator
Brian Chicklo	Joseph Golia	Bryan Baca	Sean Bardanett	Josh Bickel	Dustin Clarke	Tanner Miracle	Jeremy Chiang
DoB: 1972-07-17	DoB: 1978-??-??	DoB: Circa 1980	DoB: 1988-06-23	DoB: 1996-??-??	DoB: 1987-??-??	DoB: 1991-??-??	DoB: ????-??-??

Your 2026 New York Mets

	Starting Pitchers
	Clay Holmes	Nolan McLean	Freddy Peralta	David Peterson	Kodai Senga
	R/R DoB: 1993-03-27	R/R DoB: 2001-07-24	R/R DoB: 2996-06-04	L/L DoB: 1995-09-03	L/R DoB: 1993-01-30
Relief Pitchers
Huascar Brazobán	Luis Garcia	Craig Kimbrel	Sean Manaea	Tobias Myers	Brooks Raley	Luke Weaver
R/R DoB: 1989-10-15	R/R DoB: 1987-01-30	R/R DoB: 32291	R/L DoB: 1992-02-01	R/R DoB: 1998-08-05	L/L DoB: 1988-06-29	R/R DoB: 1993-08-21
Relief Pitchers	Catchers		Infielders
Devin Williams	Francisco Alvarez	Luís Torrens	Bo Bichette	Francisco Lindor	Ronny Mauricio	Jorge Polanco
R/R DoB: 1994-09-21	R/R DoB: 2001-11-01	R/R DoB: 1996-05-02	R/R DoB: 1998-03-05	S/R DoB: 1993-11-14	S/R DoB: 2001-04-04	S/R DoB: 1999-11-13
Infielders		Outfielders
Marcus Semien	Mark Vientos	Brett Baty	Carson Benge	Luis Robert, Jr.	Tyrone Taylor	Jared Young
R/R DoB: 1990-09-17	R/R DoB: 1993-12-11	L/R DoB: 1999-11-13	L/R DoB: 2003-01-20	R/R DoB: 1997-08-03	R/R DoB: 34356	L/R DoB: 1995-07-09

Also on 40-Player Roster

Starting Pitchers			Relief Pitchers
Tylor Megill	Christian Scott	Jonah Tong	Alex Carrillo	Reed Garrett	Joey Gerber	Justin Hagenman
R/R DoB: 1995-07-28	R/R DoB: 1999-06-15	R/R DoB: 2003-06-19	R/R DoB: 1997-06-06	R/R DoB: 1993-01-02	R/R DoB: 1997-05-03	R/R DoB: 1996-10-07
On 60-Day Injured List with torn right UCL.	With Syracuse	With Syracuse	With Syracuse	On 60-Day Injured List — right UCL surgery and nerve relocation surgery.	With Syracuse	On 60 Day Injured List with fractured rib.
Relief Pitchers					Catchers	Outfielders
A.J. Minter	Dedniel Núñez	Jonathan Pintaro	Dylan Ross	Austin Warren	Hayden Senger	MJ Melendez
L/L DoB: 1993-09-02	R/R DoB: 1996-06-05	R/R DoB: 1997-11-07	R/R DoB: 2000-09-01	R/R DoB: 1996-02-05	R/R DoB: 1997-04-03	L/R DoB: 1993-11-29
With St. Lucie on Rehab Assignment	On 60-Day Injured List — right UCL surgery.	With Syracuse	With Syracuse, on Seven-Day IL	With Syracuse	With Syracuse	With Syracuse