The Mets have acquired right-hander Joey Gerber in a trade with the Rays, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reports. Tampa Bay will receive cash in return for Gerber, who was one of six players the Rays designated for assignment yesterday.
After making his big league debut in the form of 17 games and 15 2/3 innings of 4.02 ball with the Mariners in 2020, Gerber then missed virtually all of the next three seasons due to back surgery and a Tommy John surgery. He resurfaced to pitch in the Yankees’ farm system in 2024, and a subsequent minor league deal with the Rays last winter paved the way for his return to the Show. Gerber appeared in two games (4 1/3 innings) for the Rays in September, posting a 2.08 ERA.
There is still a bit of a “work in progress” aspect to Gerber’s performance in the wake of such an extended layoff, as reflected by his 6.23 ERA over 43 1/3 innings with Durham last season. An inflated .351 BABIP and a lot of home run problems contributed to Gerber’s ERA, but he has a 26.74% strikeout rate over 57 1/3 total frames at the Triple-A level.
It was enough to pique the Mets’ interest, and president of baseball operations David Stearns has long had a reputation for seeking out undervalued relievers with intriguing stuff. Gerber has a minor league option remaining, which gives the Mets some extra roster flexibility if he does happen to make the team.