As the Mets encounter the worst stretch of the year, the obligatory recycling of fringe pitchers has come for the lineup. Francisco Alvarez was sent to Syracuse yesterday and Luisangel Acuna joins him there today as the reeling Mets make more moves.
The headliner is Dicky Lovelady (that’s what he prefers to be called) a lefty reliever let loose by Minnesota. He’s apparently here and suiting up in No. 57, most recently belonging to Kevin Herget who was a Met for about 15 minutes in April. Does anyone remember the last Dicky to play for the Mets? That was Dicky Gonzalez (39) back in 2001. I was at his debut; I’m pretty sure he lost to the Astros.
And back 15 years ago, I wrote a series of articles on Mets named Dick. Real mature.
Also back with the Mets is Travis Jankowski, who takes Acuna’s place. Jankowski you’ll recall played for us in 2022, becoming the answer to the trivia question “Who was the last Met to wear No. 16 before Steve Cohen in a desperate attempt to make the Mets look more historically formidable retired it”?
So this marks Travis’s second stint in orange and blue; he’s since played for Texas, the White Sox and the Rays, who lost him to free agency earlier this month. Jankowski is listed in 21.
Also you may have seen the debut for Mets reliever Tyler Zuber (53) last night; he’s since been sent back to Syracuse along with Blade Tidwell (40). I’m pretty sure Justin Garza (71) also got sent down as Dedneil Nunez returned.
As for Alvarez, he’s been replaced by Heyden Senger who can probably hit singles with the same infrequency. Acuna gets everyday play that got harder to come by with Ronny Mauricio hanging around. Tyrone Taylor is also likely to take a playing time haircut with Jankowski here. Jankowski takes no haircuts of course.
No instead it’s Luisangel Acuna getting the call (and the start!) today, playing shortstop instead of Francisco Lindor whose consecutive-game streak is ending. I don’t believe Acuna is here for injury but to pinch run. Given he OPSed all of .654 in triple A its not the bat you want out there.
Tyrone Taylor appears to be issued No. 15. He’s the speedy reserve outfielder we picked up from Milwaukee along with pitcher Adrian Houser, for Coleman Crow, one of the guys we got from the Angels in the Eduardo Escobar trade. I’m getting a Collin Cowgill vibe from Tyrone, hopefully his results are better.
Free-agent infielder Joey Wendle is shown with 18, his number with Miami. Give the Mets’ plans to retire 18 for Darryl Strawberry this summer, it’s a good bet this doesn’t last.
The Mets will be the 9th team for journeyman lefty sidearmer Jake Diekman, who appears to be bound for No. 35. He signed a 1-year+option deal with the Mets.
You know the roster is unreliable when there’s huge swaths of unclaimed digits but two guys assigned the same number. That’s what’s going on with No. 48 where two free agents–outfielder Harrison Bader and reliever Jorge Lopez— both have a claim. Lopez wore 48 with Minnesota and Baltimore. Bader wore 48 with St. Louis. Either guy would be the Mets first 48 since Jacob deGrom.
Free agent reliever Michael Tonkin is listed in 59. I suppose he’s the Mets’ answer to losing Luis Guillorme to the Braves.
Manaea has worn 55 most often in his career and that would appear to be available here. Severino was 40 with the Yankees; that belongs to Drew Smith now.