First NY Mets free agent addition of the offseason elects to test the market again

Before your first Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup was eaten on Halloween, the New York Mets got busy adding to their 40-man roster. It began with the addition of Dylan Covey added on a split contract that would pay him one salary for time served in the minor leagues versus the majors. The now common practice we’ve seen the Mets use to their advantage to lure fringe MLB players like Covey to town was all part of an elaborate scheme. They’d entice him to sign a deal with the full expectation he’d end up DFA’d before the start of the season. Because of his salary situation, the thought was he’d accept a minor league assignment.

Like wherever we first thought babies came from, our assumption was wrong. Covey was DFA’d by the Mets and rather than stay with the organization on a deal that would pay him a pro-rated $850K in the majors and $350K in the minors, he’ll head into the open market once again. He has opted for free agency rather than accept the minor league assignment.

Dylan Covey must have believed his chances of actually pitching for the Mets was slim to turn down this deal

Since he opted for free agency, Covey now forfeits his deal. It might not seem like a significant amount, but the minor league portion of the contract is significantly higher than most players on the farm receive. The deal the Mets signed him to would have paid him about 10x higher than the minimum for a player in Triple-A. So what’s Covey thinking?

You have to respect an athlete for putting anything above money. Now 33 and with a lifetime 6.18 ERA in 307.1 innings of work, his career salary totals in the majors reflect the performance. He received $850K from the Philadelphia Phillies last year despite not pitching in a major league game. Most of the year was spent rehabbing.

You’d have to ask Covey to know exactly why he’d elect free agency rather than stick with the Mets who most certainly could find innings for him. As an out of options journeyman, it’s hard to imagine there being a more financially lucrative deal out there. Covey’s priority might be to land with a ball club that’ll give him a chance to perform at a higher level and cash in with a higher salary next season.

Interestingly, Covey’s career began with a debatable decision. Drafted 14th overall in the flush with talent 2010 draft right behind Chris Sale, he turned down the chance to join the Milwaukee Brewers out of high school and instead went to the University of San Diego. His draft stock fell and he eventually became a 2014 fourth-round pick, 131th overall, by the Oakland Athletics. He was a couple of picks behind Cody Bellinger and before Nick Pivetta. Opting for college over professional baseball was more of a life decision than a financial one. His choice to opt out of his Mets deal sure seems to follow the same logic.