The Mets announced that they have selected the left-hander’s contract Anderson Severino. He was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, so he will stick with that club, but he is now 40-man and will be a candidate to be returned to the active roster moving forward. Pitchers must wait 15 days after being selected before being recalled, although exceptions are made when someone else hits the injured list or the club needs a 27th man for a doubleheader. The right hand Clay Holmes was transferred to the 60-day casualty list in parallel with the movement of 40 people. Holmes recently broke his fibula and is expected to be sidelined until August.
The announcement from the Mets said that Severino was designated for assignment after last night’s game, so the Severino/Holmes move appears to have happened yesterday. The Mets also officially announced today’s previously reported move, with Austin Slater nominated for assignment again Nick Morabito remember. That year reduced the number of players from 40 to 39, so the club has an opening Zach Thorntonwho will be elected on Wednesday. Thornton will fill out the 40-man tomorrow but the Mets will need to make a consistent roster move for him.
Severino, 31, signed a minor league deal with the Mets at the start of the season. The agreement may have contained some type of exit or assignment clause. That often explains why a club adds a player to the 40-man roster and selects him immediately. Giving him a spot prevents him from leaving or being sent elsewhere, but it also doesn’t require the club to call up the player immediately, which would then require a corresponding move. There have been a few instances where a player has been given a qualifying spot to seek an opportunity overseas.
Whatever the reason, it’s understandable that the Mets don’t want Severino to get away, as he’s still starting to heat up. He has thrown 17 1/3 innings at Triple-A so far this year, allowing just 1.04 earned runs per nine. His 12.1% walk rate is very high but he has struck out 27.3% of the batters he has faced and is striking out 52.6% of the balls in play. His ERA got some help from a .231 batting average on balls in play and an 83.3% strand rate but Severino’s 3.00 FIP suggests he’ll be getting good results even with neutral luck. His fastball averages just over 96 miles per hour and he throws a mid-80s slider about a third of the time, along with a rarely used curve.
It’s not the first time Severino has put up good numbers in the minors, but he’s only had a brief moment in the majors. His major league record currently consists of only 7 1/3 innings pitched by the White Sox in 2022.
He has yet to return to the big games but now he has a good chance to return to the game for the first time in four years. The Mets have two lefties in their bullpen right now but one of them is a tall man Sean Manaeawhich is Brooks Raley it is the only one suitable for releasing the southpaw. If they want to add another lefty or just need a new arm in the future, Severino is now a 40-man and could get the call.
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images
