NEW YORK — The Mets have focused much of their early offseason on bolstering their bullpen through a series of smaller moves, and Friday brought further adjustments to the roster.
The team reached a one-year agreement with right-hander, avoiding arbitration, while parting ways with righty Grant Hartwig and left-hander Alex Young, who were non-tendered and are now free agents. Additionally, the Mets moved on from former top outfield prospect Alex Ramírez, opening up 40-man roster spots in the process.
All other arbitration-eligible players received contract offers, including pitchers Paul Blackburn, Tylor Megill, and David Peterson, catcher Luis Torrens, and outfielder Tyrone Taylor.
Reid-Foley, 29, impressed in 23 appearances this past season, recording a 1.66 ERA with 25 strikeouts over 21 2/3 innings. However, his season was disrupted by a recurring right shoulder impingement, sidelining him for the second half. Injuries have limited Reid-Foley to an average of just 13 1/3 innings per season over the past five years.
Young, 31, delivered a solid 3.29 ERA across 14 outings after being claimed off waivers from the Giants. However, he has been a journeyman, changing teams five times in the last four seasons.
Ramírez, 21, once considered a top-tier prospect, showed promise in 2022 with strong performances across two Class A levels. Unfortunately, he has struggled since, posting OPS marks of .627 and .590 over the last two seasons.
Hartwig, 26, appeared in 32 games for the Mets over the past two years but missed significant time this season following surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.
Friday marked the deadline for teams to tender contracts to players not under guaranteed deals, including those with less than three years of service time earning near the league minimum and arbitration-eligible players with two to six years of service. Non-tenders often result when teams find arbitration salaries higher than they value the player.
One notable tender decision involved Blackburn, who recently underwent surgery to repair a spinal fluid leak and may not be ready for Opening Day. Despite the risk and his projected salary increase from $3.45 million last season, the Mets retained him due to their pressing need for starting pitching depth.
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