Edgy MD

Whoever was going to be in left, I reckon. That, of course, becomes a more open question with the Lindor injury pulling Brett Baty back toward the infield.

He absolutely was a spring stud two years ago and had seemingly made the team when things went awry.

This is quite the moving picture!

Transactions, 2/3/2026 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Released[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th] Outfielder[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/biller-sam-2025.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Sam Billler [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]2002-07-07[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]L/L[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] A (2025)[/td90][/tr][/table] A transfer from Loyola Marymount to UConn precipitated a dynamite senior season from outfielder Sam Biller, which he parlayed into signing as an undrafted free agent with the Mets. A mere six games with St. Lucie, though, and the dream gets a hard dose of reality. It's kind of cruel to see all those guys get cut on September 2, and then on September 3, the cutmeister goes, "Hey, wait, are you still here?" Transactions, 2/6/2026 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Passed away Due to Complications from Surgery[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th] Outfielder[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_213,q_auto:best/v1/people/605253/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Terrance Gore [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1991-06-08[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]R/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2022)[/td90][/tr][/table] Terrance Gore had never officially announced a retirement or signed up with a new organization in an alternative career, so we kept his free agency technically open, and hey, when you make a living with your legs, who would be surprised if he caught on somewhere. As it is, his sad and unexpected passing makes him the last of the 2022 Mets to move on, just not in any way you want to see. The books are closed on all 2023 Mets, but the 2024 Mets are waiting to see what is next for JD Martinez. Terrance did buy into part-ownership of a batting academy in the interim, but that was the last we had heard of him. His wife Britney also seems to have been a tracklete, so it would not be surprising to see his kids appear in the game as well. Transactions, 2/8/2026 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]COMING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Signed away from KCR, Projected for Syracuse[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th] Outfielders[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_426,q_auto:best/v1/people/669004/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]MJ Melendez [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1998-11-29[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]L/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2025)[/td90][/tr][/table] MJ Melendez comes with an option year, and as he is currently profiling behind Tyrone Taylor, Vidal Brujan, and Jared Young, it looks like the Mets may be using it early. On the other hand, the injury to Francisco Lindor has just created a roster opening, and a catcher who plays the four corner positions is always a great backdoor way to carry three catchers. It's early.

Well, the report indicates that Bichette is the first thought, but I imagine both will see some time. Luisangel Acuna and Jett Williams, not so much.

A lot of previously impressive hitters, young and old, looked pretty bad for the Braves in 2025. Some of that was part of an overall offensive backslide leaguewide. It'll be interesting to see if Ozzie Albies and Michael Harris have a comeback in them, or if Ronald Acuna stays healthy, but I tend to be pharma-suspicious of all Braves hitters.

I tend to think the drugs and the aggravated assault and the highly unlikely revitalization of his batting skills and the loss of mobility disqualifying him from the outfield are all of a piece. If there is anything to that, I wouldn't want to be in a position of rooting for the guy, as that would feel a whole lot like rooting against the safety of his wife and those closest to him.

We will catch up piecemeal. Transactions, 1/29/2026 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction [/th][td90]Claimed off Waivers by WAS[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th]Relief Pitchers[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_213,q_auto:best/v1/people/663992/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Richard Lovelady [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1991-09-28[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]L/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] MLB (2025)[/td90][/tr][/table] Richard Lovelady had originally been DFA'd to make room for the acquisition of utility dude Vidal Brujan, so you can view the transactions as a trade of sorts, and when you watch Brujan this season, you can make a mental note that the Mets gave up cash and Dickie Lovelady for him. This leaves the path pretty clear for Brooks Raley and AJ Minter to open the season as the lefties out of the pen (possibly with some cameos by Sean Manaea). Solid vets both, but damaged goods both as well, with any number of reasons to suspect that Minter will not be ready for opening day. And if he is, making his initial return from UCL surgery, he is a highly unknown quantity. Other lefties in the mix include Brandon Waddell, Joe Jacques, and Nathan Lavender. Transactions, 2/2/2026 [table][tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction[/th][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th]Starting Pitcher[/th][th]Starting Pitcher[/th][th]Relief Pitcher[/th][th]Relief Pitcher[/th][th]Relief Pitchers[/th][th]Relief Pitchers[/th][th]Relief Pitchers[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/mall-dalton-2025.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/morelli-matteo-2025.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/silhouette-2003.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/montas-jahzeel-2025.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/c_fill,g_auto/w_180/v1/people/693803/headshot/milb/current[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/silhouette-2003.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/silhouette-2003.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Dalton Mall [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/usa_m.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Matteo Morelli [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/flag-of-italy.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Yoelvis Martinez [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Jahzeel Montas [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Layonel Ovalles [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Rayner Reyes [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Anthony Reynoso [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]1999-08-27[/td90][td90]2006-02-27[/td90][td90]2006-06-21[/td90][td90]2005-01-06[/td90][td90]2003-06-16[/td90][td90]2005-10-20[/td90][td90]2007-01-20[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]L/L[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] Pioneer League (2025)[/td90][td90] DSL (2025)[/td90][td90] DSL (2025)[/td90][td90] DSL (2025)[/td90][td90] A+ (2025)[/td90][td90] DSL (2025)[/td90][td90] DSL (2025)[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Direction[/th][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Transaction[/th][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][td90]Released[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Position Group [/th][th]Relief Pitcher[/th][th] Catcher[/th][th] Infielders[/th][th] Infielder[/th][th] Infielders[/th][th] Outfielder[/th][th] Outfielder[/th][/tr] [tr][th][/th][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/victora-deivy-2024.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/hernandez-julian-2023.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/eneas-alexander-2025.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2024/01/mella-leandy-2024.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/sarmiento-dangelo-2024.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/silhouette-2003.png[/fimg][/td90][td90][fimg=90]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2024/02/rosa-jeffry-2024.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]Name [/th][td90]Deivy Victora [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/venezuelan-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Julian Hernandez [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2019/07/venezuelan-flag-small.jpg[/fimg][/td90][td90]Alexander Eneeas [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/11/bahamas-flag.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Leandy Mella [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Dangelo Sarmiento [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Haniel German [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][td90]Jeffry Rosa [fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2023/12/dominican-republic-flag-small.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr] [tr][th]DoB[/th][td90]2005-08-15[/td90][td90]2005-09-24[/td90][td90]2007-09-12[/td90][td90]2007-02-04[/td90][td90]2005-01-04[/td90][td90]2005-12-05[/td90][td90]2004-09-11[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]B/T[/th][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]L/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][td90]R/R[/td90][/tr] [tr][th]High Level[/th][td90] DSL (2025)[/td90][td90] DSL (2025)[/td90][td90] DSL (2025)[/td90][td90] DSL (2025)[/td90][td90] FCL (2024)[/td90][td90] FCL (2024)[/td90][td90] A (2024)[/td90][/tr][/table] Some great names are being consigned to history here. Dalton Mall got discovered playing for Billings in the Pioneer League, where he had a 10.80 ERA. As scouting assignments go, Mets Roster Central imagines that whichever territory includes Montana has got to be bottom run of the ladder, so whoever has that territory (we just looked him up and his name is Tyler Holmes) for the Mets must have been pretty tickled that they let him offer Dalton a contract, and pretty depressed when that same Dalton got sent packing without ever taking the mound in a game. Matteo Marelli had been the lone current Met signed out of Italy, so his release after 13 2/3 highly battered innings in the DSL also represents a lost novel opportunity. We are going to go ahead and assume Mike Piazza scouted him. Yoelvis Martinez not only has a first name that sounds like something Dion yelled backstage during an early rock 'n' roll tour, but his middle name is Fabian. Sadly, his real inspiration was Fats Domino, as he was walkin' a lot of people. Like a lot. Jahzeel Montas saw his career in the Mets organization end after 6 2/3 innings. Not even a game's-worth. Tragic. Layonel Ovalles made it far further than most of these other shlabotniks and jamokes. You may have even seen him suit up briefly for the Cyclones in one of the last two seasons. He was absolutely terrific at St. Lucie this year (.143 batting average against), but apparently the Mets saw that as his ceiling. Some other team will come for him. Righty Rayner Reyes and lefty Anthony Reynoso each, coincidentally, had a dead-even 1:1 strikeout/walk ratio, and that pretty much uncoincidentally guarantees a 1:1 contract/release ratio. Sonorously named Venezuelan Deivy Victora got a second year in the DSL in 2025, lowering his ERA from 8.06 to 4.08. Surely that's enough for a ticket to Florida in 2026, you might think. You would be wrong. Julian Hernandez — catcher who also plays infield — is another example of the Mets putting Moneyball behind them and not allowing themselves to get captivated by walk rates. The guy hit only .214 over 152 plate appearances, but he chalked up a .401 OB. Again, one might think that is enough to be allowed to hang around for another year, but that is apparently not the case. As it took three seasons to amass 152 plate appearances, it is reasonable to suspect that the real problem with Julian was that there wasn't enough defensive value from him at any position to allow him to crack the lineup very often. From the look of his thumbnail photo above, it appears he does have a future in the ministry. Alexander Eneas was such an anonymity that he was originally listed as Eneas Alexander when he was signed. A lot of sources still list him as such and we are not 100% certain which name is correct. Twenty-three plate appearances and a .100 career batting average later, we may never know. Leandy Mella got a second season in the DSL, improving greatly from a disastrous .133/.294/.229//.523 to a very encouraging .296/.364/.417//.782. Still, he got is papers, and again, we can only conclude that moral turpitude was a factor. On the other hand "encouraging" numbers in the DSL may simply not be enough. Dangelo Sarmiento put up a very similar .295/.374/.393//.767 in the DSL in 2024, but his 2025 numbers in the Florida Complex League are too ugly to type here. This leaves us with outfielders Haniel German and Jeffry Rosa and, well, sub-.200 batting averages are no way to go through life. You better have blazing speed or prodigious power to get a team to look the other way at such a season, and neither exhibited either. Best wishes going forward to them both.

Shigeo Nagashima, Joe Torre, Sadaharu Oh, and Tom Seaver yuk it up during Mets goodwill tour of Japan [FIMG=600]https://dyn1.heritagestatic.com/ha?p=3-3-9-1-6-33916959&w=850&h=600&it=product[/FIMG] Torre notably rocking Brock Pemberton's 2 on his uniform instead of his usual 9. While the kanji autographs of Nagashima and Oh are apparently authentic, the English-language versions are believed to have been added by Torre and Seaver, which kind of makes the photo cooler. And if that is true, I guess it suggests that Nagashima and Oh added the kanji version of Torre and Seaver's names.

Ozoony is the sort of late-off-season deal Pittsburgh specializes in. He is only partially there to give the lineup added juice and respectability. The other part is to stockpile him for a trade at the deadline. As for me and my house, when you say "Ozuna" we say, "drugs." Like, lots of 'em.

Notably absent from this list is Trey McGough, who was signed a few weeks ago to a very unusual two-year minor-league free-agent contract.

Worth noting that Melendez comes with a minor-league option year remaining. He is probably behind Jared Young, at least at the start of camp.

Back in November, when the Rays could no longer stash Lavender on the 60-Day Injured List, they were forced to use a full roster spot on him or DFA him. They chose the latter, but were forced to offer him back to the Mets first, and the Mets said Hell Yeah!

The Mets inexplicably waited until everybody was showing up to announce their Non-Roster Invitees. Many are known, of course, as their invites came during their offseason signings, but the internal folks were a mystery. Anytinks, congratulations to the following: PITCHING GUYS Adbert Alzolay Mike Baumann Nick Burdi Daniel Duarte Carl Edwards, Jr. Kevin Herget Joe Jacques (L) Craig Kimbrel Ryan Lambert Nate Lavender (L) Anderson Severino (L) Robert Stock Matt Turner (L) Brandon Waddell (L) Jack Wenninger CATCHING DUDES Austin Barnes Kevin Parada Chris Suero INFIELDING PROFESSIONALS Christian Arroyo Ryan Clifford Jackson Cluff Grae Kessinger Jacob Reimer Jose Rojas OUTFIELDING FELLOWS Ji-Hwan Bae Carson Benge A.J. Ewing Christian Pache Jose Ramos

So torn up were we by unloving thoughts that we failed to provide a memorial thread for young bearded lefthander Richard Lovelady, claimed off waivers by Washington back on January 29. Please provide your Richard Lovelady-specific memories in the thread below. He may be reading along. [FIMG=488]https://platform.amazinavenue.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2025/09/gettyimages-2224340263.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=9.3%2C3.6929994301229%2C80.7%2C67.840895518079&w=1200[/FIMG]

I don't think those players are "pocket lint." I don't know why this should be considered a "bad bench." And of course, new players will appear as the season progresses. Or regresses. Of course, also, bench strength is a far-less meaningful element of a team after the institution of the universal DH. But yes, Jett Williams is a Brewer prospect now.

wOw

Never even officially retired, as far as I was able to suss out, and I have checked regularly since his Mets tenure ended. Appeared in 10 games as a Met, all of which were Met wins. It is a level of perfection sadly sealed by this terrible news, and I imagine it is a mark unlikely to be exceeded any time soon, if ever.

Yabbut, saying Yes can mean saying No to AJ Minter or Brooks Raley. Or possibly some other shnook. Anthony Banda is definitely a guy you want on a minor-league deal.

That's always the issue with relievers, right? I like Banda's distinctive look. I could see him eating up 30 or so innings on the back end for somebody, but I don't think he has enough left to make any kind of difference. It would be nice to see him shave a few points off that 7+ ERA he put up for the Mets back in 2021, though.

I'm not sure how that works. A large class of candidates emerging, to me, should not disqualify them all because of the class' largeness. Sometimes, we have to look deeper. And man, I didn't even get to include Jerry Reuss. If nobody anymore — seemingly nobody at all — can do what Mickey Lolich did, that makes me want to pull his file again.

Righties who became lefties after childhood injuries, to be more specific, but you get the points and control of the board.

Skubal won the hearing and will be paid $32 million this year (versus the Tigers’ proposed $19M). Good for the Sku!

Today marks the wedding anniversary of Cleon and Angela Jones. Sixty-one years.

Bob Murphy, Billy Wagner, Mickey Lolich — what's the common thread?