Quietly, without a press conference or so much as anything more than MLB Trade Rumors seeing it on the transaction log, the New York Mets parted ways with minor league free agent signing Connor Overton. One of many pitchers with MLB experience David Stearns added to his collection in the offseason, Overton has been trying to get over injuries and make his way back to the major leagues where he last appeared in 2023 as a member of the Cincinnati Reds. Just 18 games of MLB experience and already into his 30s, the Mets apparently saw enough in the spring to move on.
Overton managed to work his way into 7 games for the Mets, pitching to a 3.38 ERA. Not so shabby. However, a pair of home runs allowed and 6 hits total in 5.1 innings set off alarm bells. He only struck out 3 batters. The two home runs accounted for his only runs allowed. The tiny sample equivalent to essentially one start hinted at Overton being unneeded moving forward.
Connor Overton isn’t the only offseason addition the team parted with this week
With almost as much silence, the Mets traded Sean Harney to the St. Louis Cardinals days before Opening Day. Picked up from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash considerations, it’s exactly what they’ll get back for him.
The Mets did something similar with Michael Hobbs. The lone Rule 5 Draft pick (minor league portion) added to the organization, he was stolen from the Los Angeles Dodgers in December only to get traded away to the Seattle Mariners for, you guessed it, cash considerations.
A running theme of the way David Stearns has handled personnel, particularly on the same level as Overton, Harney, and Hobbs, it does feel like the Mets welcome in and send away far more players than they ever did in the past. We saw it last offseason with players like Cooper Hummel and Tyler Heineman. Although not even close to being on the level of Charles Johnson, Joe Randa, or David Justice who were all briefly Mets property only to get sent away before playing a game, these recent roster moves remind us to never get too attached to anyone—not that we were ever abundantly head over heels for anyone the Mets recently got rid of.