Former Toronto Blue Jays Reliever Génesis Cabrera Inks Minor League Deal With Mets

Génesis Cabrera elected free agency after making 69 appearances for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2024, ultimately leading to the New York Mets scooping him up on a minor league contract.

Aug 7, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Genesis Cabrera (92) throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the sixth inning at Rogers Centre. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have signed left-handed relief pitcher Génesis Cabrera to a minor league contract, the team announced Wednesday.

Cabrera was previously with the Toronto Blue Jays, although he cleared waivers and elected free agency back on Nov. 4. That opened the door for the 28-year-old to explore his options elsewhere, and he ultimately landed on the Mets.

The contract Cabrera signed comes along with an invitation to New York's big league Spring Training camp.

LHP Genesis Cabrera has been signed to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

— New York Mets (@Mets) November 27, 2024

Cabrera appeared in 69 games for the Blue Jays in 2024, going 3-3 with a 3.59 ERA, 1.468 WHIP, 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings and a -0.1 WAR.

Toronto acquired Cabrera from the St. Louis Cardinals ahead of the 2023 trade deadline, at which point he was 1-1 with a 5.06 ERA, 1.563 WHIP and a 0.0 WAR on the season. In 29 outings down the stretch with the Blue Jays, Cabrera went 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA, 0.972 WHIP and a 0.2 WAR.

Cabrera, who made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 2019, was an absolute workhorse between 2020 and 2021. He made 19 appearances during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, then he took the mound 71 times in 2021.

Between those two seasons, Cabrera went 8-6 with a 3.41 ERA, 1.235 WHIP, 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.3 WAR. Among the 17 NL pitchers who made 90-plus appearances in that span, Cabrera ranked ninth in ERA and sixth in strikeouts per nine innings.

Cabrera then went 4-2 with a 4.63 ERA, 1.321 WHIP, 6.4 strikeouts per nine innings and a -0.2 WAR in 2022, and his brutal start to 2023 resulted in him getting shipped to Toronto. And while he gave the Blue Jays a 3.34 ERA over the next season-and-a-half, their front office was not going out of their way to bring him back.

While the Mets didn't give Cabrera a major league contract, he could very well wind up in their bullpen for long stretches in 2025. New York just traded promising up-and-comer Eric Orze to the Tampa Bay Rays last week, while Adam Ottavino, Ryne Stanek, Phil Maton, Brooks Raley, Jake Diekman and Drew Smith are all currently free agents.

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