New York Mets Sign Former All-Star Reliever to Minor League Deal

The New York Mets signed a veteran reliever, who was an All-Star in 2017, to a minor league deal on Monday.

May 28, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Chris Devenski (48) throws a pitch against the Oakland Athletics in the eighth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The New York Mets are not wasting any time adding to their bullpen depth before 2025.

On Monday afternoon, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reported that the Mets have signed veteran right-handed reliever Chris Devenski to a minor league deal that includes a non-roster invitation to spring training. The news broke hours before Game 3 of the World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sources: the Mets are in agreement on a minor league deal for pitcher Chris Devenski (with a camp invite).

The veteran right-hander and World Series champ recently became a free agent. He ended the season with a 2.35 ERA over 23 appearances for Seattle's Triple-A affiliate.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 28, 2024

Devenski, who turns 34 next month, brings nine years of big league experience and was an All-Star with the Houston Astros back in 2017. Over his career, he has logged exactly 400 innings, posting a 3.98 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and a 9.3 K/9 rate.

After finishing the 2023 season strongly with the Tampa Bay Rays, Devenski struggled in early 2024. In 19 appearances, he surrendered nine home runs, resulting in a 6.75 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP over 26.2 innings before being released at the end of June.

Statcast data shows that opponents batted just .163 against his primary pitch, the changeup, but hit his four-seamer and cutter hard in 2024. Although he threw only 41 sweepers, that pitch achieved an impressive 46.7% whiff rate. Right-handed batters had a significantly higher OPS (1.171) against him compared to left-handers (.701), a pattern consistent throughout his career due to his effective circle change.

Newest Met Chris Devenski has struggled since his 2017 all-star year in Houston

But his signature Changeup still gets Whiffs and always grades out as a plus-plus pitch on stuff models

His Fastball is not bad and he has been toying with a Cutter and Sweeper #Mets pic.twitter.com/Pmeiv8yA1z

— Isaac (@isaacgroffman) October 28, 2024

Devenski signed with the Seattle Mariners on July 2 and was outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma, where he ended the season with a 2.35 ERA, three saves, and 31 strikeouts in 23 innings.

Minor league deals typically carry low risk, yet they can yield significant rewards. In his first year as the Mets' president of baseball operations, David Stearns adopted a strategy of taking calculated risks on low-cost players, both through major league and minor league deals. Sean Manaea and Luis Severino serve as prime examples of low-risk signings that revitalized their careers in New York, albeit with a larger financial commitment. However, less expensive minor league contracts can also make a significant impact.

While some signings falter—such as 2021 NLCS MVP Eddie Rosario, who was released just days after signing a minor league deal in August, or right-hander Shintaro Fujinami, who never appeared with the major league team after signing a one-year, $3.35 million contract in February—others can lead to success. 

Infielder Jose Iglesias hit .337/.381/.448 over 85 games and played a crucial role in the team’s run to the NLCS after being promoted from Triple-A Syracuse at the end of May. Left-handed reliever Danny Young, signed to a minor league deal in January, also found his way on the Mets’ NLCS roster.

With five bullpen arms poised to enter free agency this winter, the Mets are giving Devenski the opportunity to compete for a spot during spring training, hoping the former standout reliever—who recorded a 2.38 ERA and a 28.2% strikeout rate over 189 innings from 2016 to 2017—can successfully reinvent himself at this stage of his career.