NY Mets fans won't be jolly when realizing the one free agent the team has re-signed

If you were building a “Mets offseason bingo card” in late October, I’m pretty sure “Richard Lovelady returns as the first major-league signing” wasn’t even in the free space. And yet… here we are.

The Mets brought back Lovelady, and the early reaction from fans would’ve been predictable: That’s it? Not because Lovelady is some villain, but because this is the kind of move that feels like it belongs in the “minor transactions” paragraph at the bottom of a newsletter.

Richard Lovelady returning isn’t the Mets offseason “move” anyone pictured

To be fair, the 2025 Mets version of Lovelady wasn’t exactly a holiday classic. In eight appearances with New York, he logged 10 innings and posted a 6.30 ERA. The strikeouts (nine) were fine, but the overall results were underwhelming, which naturally leads to the obvious question: why bring him back at all? Depth? A fresh look? Or is this just the front office hoping “Lovelady” moves a few novelty jerseys before spring training?

This is roster building when it's time for a blue collar guy rather than a black tie event.

A left handed relief pitcher, Lovelady has a role that still makes sense even with MLB trending away from the "one batter specialist" many teams are starting to adopt. Having another lefty to throw in the middle innings could be especially important as the Mets play out the long season. Injuries and overuse are the inevitable problems every team will face as the season wears on, and while bullpens need stars, they also need warm bodies that can make real outs in real games as the schedule gets ugly.

And that’s where Lovelady fits. He’s depth you don’t have to overthink. If he gives you clean innings, great. If not, the commitment is small enough that the Mets can pivot without it turning into a whole thing.

That’s the key: this signing doesn’t block a bigger bullpen move. It doesn’t prevent the Mets from chasing a higher-end late-inning arm, making a trade, or simply letting the best relievers win jobs in spring training. It’s a low-cost bet that maybe the next 10 innings look better than the last 10.

So no, Mets fans don’t have to pretend this is exciting. It’s not supposed to be. But as one of the first dominoes of the offseason, Lovelady is less of a statement and more of a reminder: not every move is meant to make you jolly. Some are just meant to keep the team standing when the season tries to knock it over.