Underwhelming NY Mets player takes expected pay cut with MLB's most confusing team

The list of underwhelming New York Mets players from the 2025 season is far too long. Maybe leading the pack is Jose Siri. Yes, it costs them Eric Orze, a mid-20s reliever who isn’t even with the Tampa Bay Rays any longer. The trade itself isn’t what might have Mets fans shaking with fear whenever they see the name Siri. It’s the unimpressive stint he had that makes him “one of those guys” in team history. 

Just 2 for 32 for the Mets with one hit coming early in the season and a second late after returning from a lengthy IL stint, we can’t blame Siri for getting injured, but we can feel sick seeing the overall results. He wasn’t the difference-making center fielder the team needed to replace Harrison Bader whose 2024 performance ended poorly enough for us to feel satisfied to see the Mets part ways.

Siri played so badly for the Mets that he ended up cut from the team over Cedric Mullins who had problems of his own. What’s next for Siri? He’ll join the Los Angeles Angels on a minor league deal.

Mets free agent Jose Siri joins MLB’s most confusing team

The Angels have been a team that rarely takes an offseason off from adding players. They also don’t go full bore towards building a championship-caliber ball club. So what do they hope to accomplish anyway?

Siri’s minor league deal comes with no risk, adding a $1.6 million salary if he can make the club. Jo Adell, one of baseball’s worst defenders in center field last year, is currently slated to be their starter at the position. He had a monster year at the plate, but serves them better in a corner outfield position.

Jorge Soler is still there, acquired last offseason for Griffin Canning in a salary dump with the Atlanta Braves. They re-signed Yoan Moncada, a once Gold Glove-caliber defender at third base who has seen his glove morph into the leather Mark Vientos wears. They have some promising players, but their rotation also includes oft-injured Grayson Rodriguez and Alek Manoah who disappeared into the ether. Their bullpen has been restocked with Drew Pomeranz, Kirby Yates, and Jordan Romano this offseason. Pomeranz is coming off of a strong year with the Chicago Cubs while Yates and Romano aren’t.

Siri can certainly find his way to contribute with the Angels at some point. An exciting player who has speed, pop in his bat, and a terrific glove thanks to his dazzling range when things are going well, he’ll need to rebuild his stock this spring to see major league at-bats again.

If nothing else, the Angels have taken a flier on a player who could always perform well and become a hot trade candidate that they end up unwisely keeping and adding around. That’s just kind of what they do.