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    Mets Roster Central: Exes and Exiles

    When you break up with someone, it matters what happens next. Don't kid yourself that it doesn't.

    Edward O’N. Hoyt

    Mets Video

    Two bad things can happen when you break up with somebody.  (1) Somebody else immediately swoops in and romances them, making you wonder why you would break with somebody so desirable.  (2) Nobody else immediately swoops in and romances them, making you wonder why you ever were with somebody so seemingly otherwise undesirable.

    Both of these are stinking thinking, of course, but such is your vulnerability when your decision has left you newly alone and vulnerable — or if you are the Mets, spiraling toward oblivion and irrelevancy. 

    GOING
    Cleared Waivers and Assigned to Syracuse
    Outfielders
    current
    Austin
    Slater
    usa_m.png
    R/R
    DoB: 1992-12-13
    High Level: MLB (2026)

    Austin Slater wasn't as bad as all that as the righthanded half of a Slater/MJ Melendez platoon that had been alternating with Juan Soto between DH and left field.  He hit .250 (which is sadly a defensible umber by today's standards, but it was an empty .250 (.250 / .286 / .300 // .586). 

    That is no worse than most of the lineup has been doing, and certainly no worse than his slumping platoon mate has been showing the world, but he's the guy with the least contract security, so he is the most easily shuffled off.

    With Jacob Young, on the mend, MJ might not be far behind.  The clock is certainly ticking.

    Transactions, 5/24/2026

    GOING GOING
    Cleared Waivers and Assigned to Syracuse Refused Minor-League Assignment and Opted for Free Agency
    Relief
    Pitchers

    Outfielders
    current current
    Craig
    Kimbrel
    usa_m.png
    Austin
    Slater
    usa_m.png
    R/R
    DoB: 1988-05-28
    High Level: MLB (2026)
    R/R
    DoB: 1992-12-13
    High Level: MLB (2026)

    The apparent end of Craig Kimbrell's Mets career was foreshadowed by the Mets sending him out there for an extra inning to mop up a loss.  He has been passed on, for the time being, by other teams who don't want to add him to their MLB roster, but there may or may not still be a market for the aging and man-bunned former star.  Kimbrel has been assigned to Syracuse, but there is every reason to believe he will refuse that assignment, and like Slater, go hunting for a new home.

    Kimbrel's exile led to a new wave of premature speculation about his Hall of Fame chances, including a sorry case against offered in a hot take by Bob Nightengale, who just should know better.

    Nighty argues that John Franco had had 424 saves and 23.4 WAR (compared to Kimbrel's current 440 and 22.5) in 409 more innings, and got nary a tumble from Hall of Fame voters.

    Now, Mets Roster Central is not going come out for or against the enshrinement of Craig Kimbrel here, but putting aside the idea that taking less time to accomplish similar feats should be seen as a good thing, WAR is just a terrible measure of success for closers:

    • Firstly, the formula that generates the number is proprietary, so it is an act of faith to accept WAR at face value.
    • Secondly, what we do know about WAR is that it normalizes — it extricates the numbers players accomplish from the situations they perform in, and treats all situations as the same.  This is disastrous for a situation-specific role, like and end-of-game specialist.

    Take, in that second situation, an NFL short-yardage specialist of a fullback.  He may get 10 carries in a year, all on the one-yard line, plunging into the end zone for a touchdown each time.  Extricate those 10 carries from the situation they occurred in, and this player looks like a disaster, a running back averaging one yard per carry.  Worst in the league!

    Anyhow, the once indomitable closer has a three-pronged decision to make — retire, shop for a new opportunity, or humbly head to Syracuse to see if he can up his game.  We expect (b) with Austin Slater has already taken, joining Tommy Pham and Andy Ibáñez on The Great List of Veteran Reserve Righthanded-Htting Outfielders Who Couldn't Stick on the 2026 Mets.

    Eric Wagaman, shuffled off before he could so much as appear, probably deserves honorary membership.

    Your 2026 New York Mets




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    Starting Pitchers


    logo-desktop.png.c6808c1a1f25d45a5c6803b
    current current current current current
    Nolan
    McLean
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    Freddy
    Peralta
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    David
    Peterson
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    Christian
    Scott
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    Jonah
    Tong
    canada-flag.jpg
    R/R
    DoB: 2001-07-24
    R/R
    DoB: 2996-06-04
    L/L
    DoB: 1995-09-03
    R/R
    DoB: 1999-06-15
    R/R
    DoB: 2003-06-19
    Relief Pitchers
    current current current current current current current
    Huascar
    Brazobán
    dominican-republic-flag-small.png
    Sean
    Manaea
    usa_m.png
    Tobias
    Myers
    usa_m.png
    Jonathan
    Pintaro
    usa_m.png
    Brooks
    Raley
    usa_m.png
    Austin
    Warren
    usa_m.png
    Luke
    Weaver
    usa_m.png
    R/R
    DoB: 1989-10-15
    R/L
    DoB: 1992-02-01
    R/R
    DoB: 1998-08-05
    R/R
    DoB: 1997-11-07
    L/L
    DoB: 1988-06-29
    R/R
    DoB: 1996-02-05
    R/R
    DoB: 1993-08-21
    Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders
    current current current current current current current
    Devin
    Williams
    usa_m.png
    Hayden
    Senger
    usa_m.png
    Luís
    Torrens
    venezuelan-flag-small.png
    Bo
    Bichette
    usa_m.png
    Brett
    Baty
    usa_m.png
    Vidal
    Brujan
    dominican-republic-flag-small.png
    MJ
    Melendez
    usa_m.png
    R/R
    DoB: 1994-09-21
    R/R
    DoB: 1997-04-03
    R/R
    DoB: 1996-05-02
    R/R
    DoB: 1998-03-05
    L/R
    DoB: 1999-11-13
    S/R
    DoB: 1998-02-09
    L/R
    DoB: 1993-11-29
    Infielders Outfielders
    current current current current current current current
    Marcus
    Semien
    usa_m.png
    Mark
    Vientos
    usa_m.png
    Carson
    Benge
    usa_m.png
    A.J.
    Ewing
    usa_m.png
    Nick
    Morabito
    usa_m.png
    Juan
    Soto
    dominican-republic-flag-small.png
    Tyrone
    Taylor
    usa_m.png
    R/R
    DoB: 1990-09-17
    R/R
    DoB: 1993-12-11
    L/R
    DoB: 2003-01-20
    L/R
    DoB: 2004-08-10
    R/R
    DoB: 2003-05-07
    L/L
    DoB: 1998-10-25
    R/R
    DoB: 1994-01-22

    Also on 40-Player Roster

    Starting Pitchers Relief Pitchers
    current current current current current current current
    Clay
    Holmes
    usa_m.png
    Tylor
    Megill
    usa_m.png
    Kodai
    Senga
    japanese-flag.gif
    Zach
    Thornton
    usa_m.png
    Alex
    Carrillo
    usa_m.png
    Daniel
    Duarte
    mexican-flag-small.png
    Reed
    Garrett
    usa_m.png
    R/R
    DoB: 1993-03-27
    R/R
    DoB: 1995-07-28
    L/R
    DoB: 1993-01-30
    L/L
    DoB: 2002-01-17
    R/R
    DoB: 1997-06-06
    R/R
    DoB: 1996-12-04
    R/R
    DoB: 1993-01-02
    Relief Pitchers Catchers Infielders
    current current current dylan-ross-2026.png current current current
    Justin
    Hagenman
    usa_m.png
    A.J.
    Minter
    usa_m.png
    Dedniel
    Núñez
    dominican-republic-flag-small.png
    Dylan
    Ross
    usa_m.png
    Francisco
    Alvarez
    venezuelan-flag-small.png
    Francisco
    Lindor
    puerto_rico.png
    Ronny
    Mauricio
    dominican-republic-flag-small.png
    R/R
    DoB: 1996-10-07
    L/L
    DoB: 1993-09-02
    R/R
    DoB: 1996-06-05
    R/R
    DoB: 2000-09-01
    R/R
    DoB: 2001-11-01
    S/R
    DoB: 1993-11-14
    S/R
    DoB: 2001-04-04
    Infielders Outfielders
    current current current
    Jorge
    Polanco
    dominican-republic-flag-small.png
    Luis
    Robert, Jr.
    cuba-flag.jpg
    Jared
    Young
    canada-flag.jpg
    S/R
    DoB: 1999-11-13
    R/R
    DoB: 1997-08-03
    L/R
    DoB: 1995-07-09

    Your Mets Coaching Staff


    Manager
    Bench
    Coach
    Pitching
    Coach
    Hitting
    Coordinator
    Third Base
    Coach
    First Base
    Coach
    Bullpen
    Coach
    Ass't Pitching
    Coach
    current correa-kai-2025.png willard-jusitn-2025.png albert-jeff-2025-1.png leiper-tim-2026.jpg gomez-gilbert-2026.png current mckinney-dan-2026.png
    Carlos
    Mendoza
    venezuelan-flag-small.png
    Kai
    Correa
    usa_m.png
    Justin
    Willard
    canada-flag.jpg
    Jeff
    Albert
    usa_m.png
    Tim
    Leiper
    usa_m.png
    Gilbert
    Gomez
    dominican-republic-flag-small.png
    José
    Rosado
    usa_m.png
    Dan
    McKinney
    usa_m.png
    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
    120?zoom=1.2 current arrencibia-jp-b-2023.png current current kierst-ps.png current current
    Troy
    Snitker
    usa_m.png
    Danny
    Barnes
    usa_m.png
    J.P.
    Arencibia
    usa_m.png
    Rafael
    Fernandez
    dominican-republic-flag-small.png
    Kevin
    Mahoney
    usa_m.png
    Kevin
    Kierst
    usa_m.png
    Eric
    Langill
    canada-flag.jpg
    Dave
    Racaniello
    usa_m.png
    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
    Soft
    Tissue
    Specialist
    chicklo-ps.png golia-ps.png baca-bryan-2023-circle.png bardanett-ps.png bickel-josh-2023-circle.png clarke-ps.png miracle-tanner-2023-circle-1.png chiang-jeremy-2023-circle.png kawamura-hiroto-b-2023.png
    Brian
    Chicklo
    usa_m.png
    Joseph
    Golia
    usa_m.png
    Bryan
    Baca
    usa_m.png
    Sean
    Bardanett
    usa_m.png
    Josh
    Bickel
    usa_m.png
    Dustin
    Clarke
    usa_m.png
    Tanner
    Miracle
    usa_m.png
    Jeremy
    Chiang
    flag-of-taiwan.png
    Hiroto
    Kawamura
    japanese-flag.gif
    DoB:
    1972-07-17
    DoB:
    1978-??-??
    DoB:
    Circa 1980
    DoB:
    1988-06-23
    DoB:
    1996-??-??
    DoB:
    1987-??-??
    DoB:
    1991-??-??
    DoB:
    ????-??-??
    DoB:
    22846
     

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