Reliever Jake Diekman was designated for assignment by the New York Mets, the team announced Monday, bringing an end to an inconsistent year in Queens.
The 37-year-old right-hander possessed a 5.63 ERA in 43 appearances (32.0 innings) while sporting a 1.469 WHIP. He proved to be too large of a reclamation project for David Stearns, who signed Diekman off the promise of a strong half-season last year with the Tampa Bay Rays in which he posted a 2.18 ERA across 45.1 innings of work.
Diekman allowed three runs and two home runs across his final two outings, including a two-run shot to Ramon Laureano in the eighth inning of Sunday afternoon’s 9-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
Just a few days earlier on July 23, Diekman played the hero for the Mets in their Subway Series opener against the Yankees in the Bronx. With closer Edwin Diaz unavailable and the Mets clinging on to a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the ninth, Diekman navigated his way through the top of the order, including a strikeout of Aaron Judge with Juan Soto on first, to keep the Yankees at bay.
In a corresponding move, New York recalled 6-foot-3, 31-year-old right-hander Matt Gage from Triple-A Syracuse. The Johnstown, NY native was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 7 where he has put up 5.1 scoreless innings while allowing three hits.
He posted a 2.70 ERA in five appearances with the Houston Astros last season and a 1.38 ERA in 11 games with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2022.
