The Mets are making some moves, and it's all about pitching depth. They've brought back left-hander Richard Lovelady, claiming him off waivers from the Nationals. To make room, they've placed right-hander Justin Hagenman on the 60-day injured list due to a rib fracture, sidelining him for the season's first two months.
Lovelady's journey has been a bit of a rollercoaster. He was with the Mets earlier this year before the Nationals picked him up.
But now he's back in Queens after Washington needed roster space for Zack Littell. Lovelady first hit the majors with the Royals in 2019, but Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2022 season.
Since then, he's been on the move, bouncing between teams through trades and waivers. Over the last few seasons, he's posted a 5.19 ERA with a 20.7% strikeout rate and a 9.0% walk rate across 69 1/3 innings with five different teams.
His time with the Mets has been a mix of ups and downs. After joining them last June, he recorded a 6.30 ERA over 10 innings.
Despite being designated for assignment multiple times, Lovelady keeps finding his way back to the Mets. With no minor league options left after 2024, he's been shuffled around quite a bit, but the Mets seem to value him as a left-handed bullpen option.
He's on a split contract for 2026, earning $350K in the minors and $1MM in the majors.
As for Hagenman, he was a 23rd-round pick by the Dodgers back in 2018 and made his MLB debut with the Mets in 2025. He showed promise with a 4.56 ERA over 23 2/3 innings, striking out 23 batters and walking just two, though he did give up four home runs.
Primarily a reliever in the minors, he’s been used as a swingman recently, but this rib injury will delay his progress. On the bright side, being on the 60-day IL means he'll earn some Major League service time.
The Mets are clearly focused on maintaining depth in their bullpen, and these moves reflect their strategy to navigate the long MLB season.