Jenrry Mejia is making his highly anticipated return to the back-end of the bullpen tonight, and he has officially been reinstated from the restricted list in time for Tuesday’s game against the Giants.
Mejia has not pitched for the Mets in 2015. He was placed on the 15-day disabled list on April 7 with a strained right elbow, only to be served an 80-game suspension for violating the league’s performance enhancing drug policy.
Mejia went 6-6 with a 3.65 ERA in 2014, notching 28 saves while finishing 49 of the 63 games he appeared in last season.
On Monday, Terry Collins said while there’s no defined role for Mejia now that he’s back, he could be used immediately in an eighth inning role if there’s a need on Tuesday.
But one thing is for sure: Mejia will not displace Jeurys Familia as the team’s closer, as long as Familia remains healthy and productive.
To make room on the active roster, the Mets optioned RHP Logan Verrett to Triple-A Las Vegas.
To make room for Mejia on the 40-man roster, the Mets transferred Buddy Carlyle to the 60-day disabled list.
It’s been a weird season for Verrett. He was taken by the Orioles in the Rule 5 draft in December, designated for assignment by Baltimore in March, picked up by Texas in the final week or so of Spring Training, then facing the Mets in an exhibition game in Arlington the weekend before Opening Day, designated for assignment by the Rangers, returned to the Mets and was assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas.
He was then called up in the middle of June by the Mets and he’s been outstanding since arriving, filling the hole vacated by Erik Goeddel when he was lost to the disabled list on June 12. He’s allowed just one earned run and three hits in 12 1/3 innings over five relief appearances since joining the Mets 2 1/2 weeks ago.
So, if this decision is going to be based on merit, Verrett needed to stay.
Unfortunately it wasn’t.
Verrett had all of his player options available for the Mets to use, and now that he is no longer subject to the rules of the Rule 5 draft, so the Mets can maneuver him back and forth to Las Vegas without risk of losing him. But the club seemed to make a move out of fear of losing Carlos Torres or Alex Torres as opposed to having the best possible roster.
And that is unfortunate.
Here is Mejia talking with the New York media about his return:
Just Mets 