Update, 1:40 PM: Dillon Gee has cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Las Vegas.
9:40 am: The Mets designated Dillon Gee for assignment last Monday afternoon. They had ten days to trade, release, or outright Gee to the minor leagues.
Sandy Alderson said he would attempt to trade Gee and the approximate $3 million left on his one-year contract before placing him on waivers. However, given the waiver process is 72 hours, the Mets effectively had seven days to find a taker for Gee, during which they were unable to do so.
As such, the Mets waived Gee over the weekend with the expectation he would clear and be outrighted to the minor leagues.
Because Gee has three years of big league service time, he cannot refuse the assignment without forfeiting the remainder of his $3 million contract. With that said, its logical to expect Gee will accept his minor league assignment and go to Las Vegas.
If Gee had the necessary five years of service time, he could refuse the assignment, become a free agent and sign for the prorated sum of the major league minimum while continuing to be paid out from his current major league contract.
Alderson said last week he was hopeful Gee would remain in the organization, but it’s clear they designated Gee because their primary hope was to clear his remaining salary and find him a new home.
It seems the Mets might need to clear some salary before taking on additional payroll, meaning they might need to find a new home for one or both of Gee and Jon Niese’s contracts before making a deal. In fact, Buster Olney of ESPN says the perception among people in the industry is the Mets are unwilling to add to their payroll this summer, and it certainly explains why the Mets had been trying hard to trade these veteran pitchers now, according to Andy Martino of the Daily News.
The Mets will learn early this afternoon if Gee was claimed by another club or if he refuses his outright assignment to the minor leagues. If he was claimed or he chooses to leave (both seem unlikely), the Mets can wash their hands of Gee’s contract.
Just Mets 