NY Mets player bails on sticking around after maybe the ugliest save in MLB history

We might not be seeing Jose Urena in a New York Mets uniform again. After his save on Monday (yes, he was awarded with one!), the Mets designated him for assignment. Passing through waivers as easily as Shedeur Sanders did the first four rounds of the NFL Draft, Urena has chosen to rejoin the free agent pool in hopes of an opportunity elsewhere.

It’s not uncommon for players in his situation to bail on their current situation and at least explore other opportunities only to re-sign on a fresh minor league deal. Will Urena be back? After his one and only appearance, Mets fans probably don't care quite as much as we did when he was first signed.

It feels like Jose Urena could’ve been much more useful to the Mets than one ugly save in a blowout win

Urena gave up 5 earned runs on 7 hits in his 3 innings of work on Monday against the Washington Nationals. By rule, if you pitch the final 3 innings of any game, you secure a save. It doesn’t matter how bad it gets or if your ERA of 15.00 is old enough to make the varsity team. It’s a messy rule that statistically takes away from the grandeur of saving games. Someone needs to institute the same rule that applies with wins where the official scorer can award it to whomever they want if the starting pitcher didn’t go earn the victory.

Urena’s ability to work as a swingman set him up perfectly for this year’s team. The Mets are going to occasionally need a sixth starter. That same person could easily slide back into the bullpen at times. Urena has spent much of his career working in both roles, maybe most successful last season with the Texas Rangers where he made 9 starts, 24 relief appearances, and finished 8 games. In the 109 innings he had a 3.80 ERA.

But the Mets pulled the trigger on seeing Urena early. Before even needing a sixth starter which they’d hand an opportunity over to Brandon Waddell, Urena came up to provide them with any necessary bullpen help. It worked out well considering the circumstances. They didn’t have to blow through their relievers. In retrospect, if this is how Urena was going to pitch, it’s better to get the Band-Aid yanked off in a win than witness him lose a game later on where he might start.

Transactions galore have highlighted this week for the Mets who have entered a point where a carousel of relievers has been built in the bullpen. Following a common May 1 deadline where players can opt out of their deals, Urena may have some more luck finding a new home with an organization that might’ve lost a player of their own.