He Mets reached an agreement with the six arbitration-eligible players, signing each to a one-year contract and avoiding arbitration, the team announced Thursday.
Player list includes LHP David PetersonL.D. Tylor Megill and R.H.P. Paul Blackburnas well as the gardeners Tyrone Taylor and José Siri, and receiver Luis Torrens.
Of this list, Peterson was the biggest factor in the Mets’ 2024 run, posting a 2.90 ERA (1.29 WHIP) in 21 regular-season starts before exiting the bullpen for the postseason and finishing with a 2.92 ERA. in 12.1 innings. The left-hander is expected to be heavily involved again next season in the starting rotation and has demonstrated his versatility, which is an advantage.
Megill, New York’s starter in his first home game in 2024, had another decent season with a 4.04 ERA (1.31 WHIP), but injuries limited him to just 16 games (15 starts). However, when on the mound, he often failed to pitch deep in games and was rarely used before injuries to the rest of the staff made him the fifth starter down the stretch of the season, which he handled well. .
Blackburn, whom the Mets acquired from the Oakland Athletics at the trade deadline, had a brief stint with New York before injuries ended his season. In five starts for the Mets, the right-hander posted a 5.18 ERA (1.56 WHIP), however, in three of those starts he allowed one earned run and went six innings. New York hopes a full season in Queens can help the 31-year-old reach his full potential.
After Harrison Bader Struggling offensively toward the end of the season, Taylor took over the starting job in center field. While neither player is known for their offense, Taylor finished his first year as a Met with seven home runs, 35 RBIs and a .248/.299/.401 line while excelling defensively (as did Bader) and in the base paths (11 steals in 13 attempts). As of now, the 30-year-old will begin the 2025 season as the team’s starting center fielder.
Taylor will likely split time at center with Siri, whom New York acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade earlier this offseason. Another defensive genius, Siri, doesn’t add much with his bat, although he does have some pop, hitting 18 home runs last season in 402 at-bats. In fact, over the last two years with the Rays, the 29-year-old hit 43 home runs. He’s struck out a lot in his career, but it’s nice to have some power and speed off the bench.
When the Mets acquired Torrens in a midseason trade after an injury to his Francisco AlvarezIt seemed like he would never leave the starting position. His numbers finally came back down to earth and he looked like the player he has been his entire career, hitting .229 but playing solid defense behind the plate. He will return as Alvarez’s backup next season and may even act as a mentor to the young catcher.