Mets release relief pitcher Jorge Lopez and catcher Omar Narvaez; Brett Baty to rejoin team in London
The Mets released righthander Jorge Lopez on Wednesday, making official what became likely after his meltdown and subsequent removal from the active roster last week. Credit: TNS/Luke Hales
WASHINGTON — After the Mets decided last week they wanted nothing to do with Jorge Lopez, all of the other teams agreed.
The Mets released the righthander Wednesday, making official what became likely after his meltdown and subsequent removal from the active roster last week. That also means the other 29 clubs passed on the chance to claim him on waivers. Lopez now is a free agent, eligible to sign with anybody.
The Mets also released catcher Omar Narvaez, who was designated for assignment Friday.
Lopez remains the Mets’ leader with 28 pitching appearances. After his final one, an ugly outing against the Dodgers, he tossed his glove over the netting behind the dugout, expressed no remorse in a postgame interview and said that he was “looking (like) the worst teammate in probably the whole (expletive) MLB.”
Lopez had a 3.76 ERA, one of the better marks among the Mets’ regular relievers.
Hello, goodbye?
Recently demoted third baseman Brett Baty will join the Mets in London as part of their three-man taxi squad, manager Carlos Mendoza said.
Reliever Cole Sulser and catcher Joe Hudson also are in that group.
Per MLB’s rules for teams playing in international series, the Mets (and Phillies) are allowed to add a 27th player to the active roster. It needs to be a position player, so the Mets’ choices will be the extra bat (Baty) or a third catcher (Hudson).
A no-no in Brooklyn
A rehabbing Francisco Alvarez was behind the plate for the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones’ combined no-hitter Tuesday.
“The first thing (Brooklyn coaches) said was, ‘What a special guy,’ ” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He was invested, talking to the whole pitching staff before the game and as the game went on and obviously the way he called that game.”
Alvarez, recovering from April left thumb surgery, will join Triple-A Syracuse on Friday ahead of his anticipated return to the Mets on Tuesday.
Extra bases
Edwin Diaz (right shoulder impingement) will throw an inning for Brooklyn on Thursday, the start of his rehab assignment. He also is scheduled to be back Tuesday . . . Starling Marte was scratched from the lineup with a right knee issue, but Mendoza said he has a “low level of concern” . . . The Mets transferred reliever Shintaro Fujinami (right shoulder strain) to the 60-day injured list . . . Jeff McNeil was out of the lineup for a third game in a row and fourth time in six games. Mendoza has stuck with Jose Iglesias at second base when the opposing team starts a lefthander — which the Mets will get again Saturday with the Phillies' Ranger Suarez.
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.