Mets sign reliever Austin Adams to 1-year major-league split deal
Austin Adams, 32, had a 5.71 ERA in 24 appearances for the Diamondbacks last season. Credit: Getty Images
The Mets are getting a running start into next week’s winter meetings, ostensibly the main event of the offseason.
They announced Thursday that they signed righthanded reliever Austin Adams to a one-year, major-league split contract, the first of what is likely to be a bunch of supplements to a barren bullpen — and the third player added by the Mets in two days.
Adams, 32, had a 5.71 ERA in 24 appearances for the Diamondbacks last season. Across parts of seven years in the majors with Arizona, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, he owns a 4.17 ERA in 132 games.
Unlike most pitchers, Adams treats his fastball as a minor, secondary pitch and instead relies extremely heavily on his slider, throwing it 90% of the time in 2023.
Adams’ split contract means he has two salaries, one for when he is in the majors and a lesser one for if he is in the minors. His contract is not guaranteed.
With few sure things behind closer Edwin Diaz and lefthander Brooks Raley, relief is a major area of need for the Mets as the offseason ramps up.
The Mets also signed infielder Joey Wendle, whose deal they announced Thursday, and righthander Luis Severino, whose contract is pending a physical.
A new front-office trio
Also Thursday, the Mets made official three previously reported front-office hirings: Eduardo Brizuela as vice president and special assistant to the president of baseball operations, Andy Green as senior vice president of player development and Kris Gross as vice president of amateur scouting.
Brizuela, who had been with the Brewers since 2009, and Gross, who had overseen the Astros’ drafts in recent years, both previously worked with president of baseball operations David Stearns. Green most recently was the Cubs’ bench coach.
“The additions of Eduardo, Andy and Kris will bolster an already talented staff,” Stearns said in a statement. “Each of these individuals bring valuable experience and perspective to Queens. We are excited to get to work on building an organization with the goal of a sustainable winning culture.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
