Mets recall Burke, Lyon DFA

Update 7/10/13: The Mets have placed Brandon Lyon on unconditional release waivers. If he goes unclaimed, he will become a free agent.

The Mets have designated Brandon Lyon for assignment to create roster space for Greg Burke, who has been recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas.

Lyon had a 4.98 ERA in 34 1/3 innings for New York this season. Over the winter, the team signed Lyon to a one-year, $750,000 Major League contract. In his first 33 appearances, Lyon had a 3.16 ERA in 31.1 innings. However, he put up a 24.00 ERA in his last four appearances. 

Lyon got off to a great start in 2013, but really struggled as of late leading to his demotion. I honestly thought that, if he could maintain an ERA of 3 or so, that he would be shipped at the deadline for a decent prospect, because there is always a market for relief help. Up until a week or two ago, he had a decent ERA, and it seemed like his roster spot was safe. Obviously, his last few appearances have severely changed the front office's opinion about him. 

He'll most likely get claimed by another team -- possibly Philadelphia or Detroit--. Lyon has the ability to bounce back, and could be a low risk gamble for opposing teams. The Mets will just have to move on, and add him to the list of underachieving relief pitchers that include: Blaine Boyer, D.J. Carrasco, Aaron Heilman, and others. 

As for Burke, this guy needs to stick in the bullpen. He's been flip-flopping between Vegas and New York quite a bit lately, but is arguably one of the better bullpen arms that the Mets have. During his brief stint with the Mets earlier in the season, he posted a 3.86 ERA in 22 appearances. As a low risk pickup, Burke should be used quite often, and the team should see if they could raise his trade value.