Mets bring back another player they just traded and dump starting pitching depth

The New York Mets made a pair of roster moves before Monday’s game. If you had a thousand guesses at what they did, you never would’ve gotten it correct.

Yohan Ramirez is back with the Mets, following the same path as Michael Tonkin. Both out of options relievers were DFA’d in April and traded away only to return to New York via waiver claim shortly after. Ramirez was 0-1 with an 11.81 ERA in his 5.1 innings for the Mets before the trade to the Baltimore Orioles. In 6 innings for them, Ramirez had a 6.00 ERA but measured up much nicer in some other areas. He continued to throw wild pitches, now having 5 total in only 11.1 innings. He hit 3 batters with the Orioles, too. It’s a bit ironic since the one thing desired most from Ramirez was to hit Rhys Hoskins.

To make room for Ramirez, the Mets chose to DFA Max Kranick. The 26-year-old starting pitcher had accumulated 14.2 total innings and a 4.30 ERA. Whether the dissatisfaction was with the 1.77 WHIP or something else, his dream of pitching for his childhood team is dependent now on passing through waivers or not becoming yet another DFA’d Mets player who ends up traded for cash considerations.

Why did the Mets even bring Yohan Ramirez back?

It wasn’t a birthday present even though Ramirez did turn 29 yesterday. The reunion, as needless as it is, might have some strategy behind it. David Stearns is clearly a fan if he was willing to add him twice now. The hope could be that once designated for assignment—which is a likely outcome—the Mets can pass him through waivers successfully.

Ramirez did manage to post a 0.83 WHIP and 3.64 FIP in his limited time with the Orioles. It’s far too low of a sample size to make anything of it other than to realize he hasn’t been as bad as his ERA says.

He’ll join a Mets bullpen with the same issue that had him booted before; a whole bunch of guys without minor league options. Stearns has had fun with his carousel of relievers. This will temporarily disappear unless they have some sort of different move in mind. Considering Drew Smith is already on the mend and expected to return soon, we have a target date already for when Ramirez will be gone at least from the major league team.

As for Kranick, Scott’s development and presence on the MLB roster might’ve made him expendable. They’re probably also hoping he can pass through waivers, but that seems far less likely. His age and the fourth-year option on him should have other ball clubs looking at Kranick as a fun project to at least try. The easy bet is he ends up traded to the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations. That seems to be what Stearns does more than anything else.