Mets DFA Joey Lucchesi; Southpaw Hits the Waiver Wire
![May 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi (47) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports May 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi (47) throws a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4880,h_2745,x_0,y_199/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_mets/01j2s03sswwp5fawd5bb.jpg)
With the July 30 MLB Trade Deadline approaching, the waiver wire has also picked up steam.
On Tuesday, the New York Mets designated southpaw Joey Lucchesi for assignment; the 31-year-old was subsequently placed on waivers. Bob Nightengale of USA Today noted in a recent article that New York, “quietly placed left-hander Joey Lucchesi on waivers, hoping someone claims him and his remaining $1.65 million salary.”
If Lucchesi is not officially picked up by a team through waivers, he will have the option of remaining with the Mets in Triple-A Syracuse, or electing free agency to sign with another franchise.
The left-hander, who battled and recovered from a multitude of injuries throughout his Mets tenure dating back to 2021, has spent the majority of his time this season with the Syracuse Mets, pitching to a 4.20 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP in 15 starts over 83.1 innings. Across those 15 outings, Lucchesi has gone 5-4 with 63 strikeouts; at the major league level this season, he’s thrown just 4.1 innings, allowing five earned runs on five hits (including a home run) and four walks.
In the grand scheme of things, the decision to DFA Lucchesi was a corresponding move to make room on the 40-man roster, after New York acquired right-handed reliever Phil Maton from the Tampa Bay Rays in a trade last week.
Currently, the Mets are 49-45 and in sole possession of the third and final NL Wild Card spot, as they enter Sunday’s series finale against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field. With the team riding a five-game winning streak, manager Carlos Mendoza will look towards the grouping of Maton, Edwin Díaz, Dedniel Nuñez, Jake Diekman, and company to provide serviceable innings for New York’s bullpen.