Checking in on 5 NY Mets roster cuts from 2026 and how they've done elsewhere

The New York Mets tried to fill the edges of their roster with a bunch of marginal veterans with the hope of catching lightning in a bottle. In some cases, these guys were big names in the past but were well past their prime. In others, the players in question were typical bit players who were used to playing a very specific role.

For the most part, it didn't work out. In some cases, these veterans failed spectacularly. The Mets would eventually cut them loose, but that wasn't the end of the line for some. Five of these castoffs landed on their feet in other locales. With that in mind, it makes sense to check up once in a while and see if it looks as if New York made any rash decisions, while also hoping for validation.

How these five Mets castoffs are faring in their new homes

Craig Kimbrel - Tampa Bay Rays

The Mets' signing Craig Kimbrel served two purposes. One, there was a chance that the 38-year-old could find some gas left in the tank in a lower-leverage role than the one he built his career on. Two, if the first hope came true, it would be another way to stick it to the Atlanta Braves.

Kimbrel landed with the Tampa Bay Rays and immediately made the Mets look foolish with a dominant debut, firing mid-90s gas and the type of filthy sliders that once made him one of the league's most fearsome closers.

Kimbrel has now made 13 appearances and thrown 13 innings for Tampa, posting a 3.46 ERA. That ERA is a bit misleading, though. His xFIP is 4.21, which is almost identical to the 4.24 mark he put up in Queens. However, his K/9 dropped from 9.00 to 7.62 in his new digs. The two biggest changes are a stark reduction in home run rate (1.80 HR/9 versus 0.69 HR/9) and a much improved left on base rate (from 56.2% to 75.3%). Is he better? The jury is out, but he's certainly had better luck in St. Pete.

Bryan Hudson - Chicago White Sox

New York took a chance on Bryan Hudson, best known for his dominant 1.73 ERA with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2024, by trading cash considerations to the Chicago White Sox in February. The six-foot-eight southpaw didn't make the cut coming out of spring training and was quickly snatched back up by the White Sox.

Hudson got off to a hot start back in the Windy City, and that has continued on through to the All-Star break. The 29-year-old has a 2.20 ERA through 42 games and 41 innings, becoming an integral part of Chicago's bullpen. The White Sox are laughing all the way to the bank with the Mets' money and a solid lefty bullpen arm.

Luis Garcia - Minnesota Twins

Luis Garcia was well-traveled in 2025, posting a 3.52 ERA while spending time with both Los Angeles teams and the Washington Nationals. New York figured he was a worthwhile gamble at 39 years old to play a role in middle relief, but he bombed out quickly with a 7.11 ERA over 6 1/3 innings, earning him his walking papers.

Garcia went on to the Minnesota Twins, where he threw another 8 2/3 innings, posting an even worse 10.38 ERA. Towards the end of May, Minnesota had seen enough and parted ways with the right-hander. He's currently still a free agent.

Austin Slater - Tampa Bay Rays

Austin Slater has been on the move a lot recently. In the past year, he was traded from the White Sox to the Yankees, hit free agency, landed in Miami with the Marlins, came back to New York, this time donning blue and orange, and finally headed back to Florida, this time with the Tampa Bay Rays.

His job, ostensibly, is to mash lefties, but he hasn't done much of that recently. After posting a .250/.286/.300 line with the Mets, he hit .273/.360/.364 with Tampa over just seven games. The Rays sent him down to Triple-A, where he has a .289/.400/.526 line.

Richard Lovelady - Washington Nationals

Much to the chagrin of Mets fans, David Stearns brought Richard Lovelady back over the offseason. Much to their delight, he was kicked to the curb after 7 1/3 innings. He'd resurface with the Washington Nationals, where he's thrown 23 frames over 27 appearances, posting a 3.91 ERA.

Of course, that's pretty misleading. Lovelady has struggled mightily with walks, posting 6.65 BB/9, leading to a 5.58 FIP. It feels like his luck will run out eventually, vindicating the Mets.

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