NEW YORK (AP) — In a surprising move Monday, the New York Mets cut veteran reliever Jake Diekman and promoted fellow left-hander Matt Gage from Triple-A Syracuse.
Diekman was 2-3 with a 5.63 ERA and four saves in a team-high 43 appearances after signing a $4 million, one-year contract with the Mets in February. He earned a huge save at Yankee Stadium last Tuesday, striking out red-hot slugger Aaron Judge with a runner aboard in the ninth inning of a 3-2 victory.
But the 37-year-old Diekman allowed three runs and four hits over two innings in a pair of outings against Atlanta over the weekend, and was designated for assignment before Monday night’s series opener against the Minnesota Twins.
Diekman has struck out 40 batters and walked 24 in 32 innings. He is 27-34 with a 3.91 ERA and 19 saves over 13 major league seasons with nine teams.
New York has seven days to trade, release or send him outright to the minors, an assignment he would have the right to refuse in favor of free agency.
Gage was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash on July 7 and will be looking to make his first big league appearance of the season. He is 0-1 with a 1.83 ERA in 16 games and 19 2/3 innings with Toronto (2022) and Houston (2023).
The 31-year-old Gage was raised about 200 miles from Citi Field in upstate New York and attended Siena College just outside Albany. He had three saves in five outings with Syracuse, striking out seven and walking two in 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
Depleted by a rash of injuries, New York’s bullpen has been in constant flux all season as president of baseball operations David Stearns tries to improve a shaky unit. Veteran right-handers Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek were obtained in trades this month.
The Mets began the day holding the final wild-card spot in a crowded National League playoff race.
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