Mets sign Daisuke Matsuzaka

The Mets have agreed to sign pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka to Major League deal. Matsuzaka, 32, asked for his release from the Indians on Tuesday, and will go directly to the big league squad in New York. He will make his first start Friday night against the Detroit Tigers.

Matsuzaka, whose agent is Scott Boras, posted a 3.92 ERA in 103 1/3 innings for Cleveland's Triple-A squad in 2013. He hasn't pitched in the Majors since 2012, where he made 11 starts for the Red Sox. The season prior, he only made 7 starts, before being lost for the season due to Tommy John surgery. 

Matsuzaka was pursued by the Mets over the winter, but he ultimately chose to sign with the Indians. 

This is a solid move by the Mets for a variety of reasons. The Mets have recently lost Jeremy Hefner and Jenrry Mejia for the remainder of the season, and they need someone who could eat up some innings.

Assuming Matsuzaka stays healthy, he has every opportunity to finish the 2013 season strong, and he heads into free agency. Coming out of Japan in 2007, Boston fans expected him to be the next big thing in the game, but he looked overmatched for the most part.

His best season came in 2008, where he had a 2.90 ERA in 29 starts. The problem was he also had a league-leading 94 walks. Matsuzaka's control has always been an issue, as he owns a career 4.3 BB/9 rate.

I know many Mets fans would like to see some young arms in September, such as Jacob deGrom and Rafael Montero. But the reality is they are on tight innings limits, and rather than risk a potential injury, the team has basically decided to be cautious by signing Matsuzaka, who will likely eat some innings from now until the end of the season. 

Hefner may be facing Tommy John surgery

Jeremy Hefner will likely undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a partially torn medial collateral ligament in his right elbow. Hefner has yet to decide whether he will undergo the surgery, or seek a second opinion. 

Hefner posted a 4.34 ERA in 23 starts with the Mets in 2013. However, don't let that number fool you. Through his first 18 starts (19 appearances), the 27 year old had a 3.33 ERA, making him the second best starter on the Mets behind Matt Harvey.

Recovery time to return from Tommy John surgery is generally one year, so if he decides to undergo the surgery, 2014 will likely be a lost season for him.

Hefner does indeed have an option left in his contract, so, according to Metsblog contributor Chris Walendin, "the Mets retain the flexibility to work him back as needed in 2015," if they choose to retain him.

This is really a shame. Assuming Hefner undergoes the surgery, he will be lost for the entire 2014 season. Hefner quietly had a nice season for the Mets in 2013, and if it wasn't for his last 2-3 starts that roughed him up, his numbers would have been very impressive. 

Hefner has really made a name for himself ever since being claimed off of waivers by the Mets from the Pirates back in December of 2011. He went from a decent swing-man to a solid rotation piece, and his performance certainly opened some eyes in this organization.

As for Hefner's future, he is clearly done for the 2013 season. 2014 is not looking too good either. As Chris Walendin of Metsblog explains, the Mets could work out a deal with Hefner to bring him back in 2015, if they would like to keep him. I see no reason why they shouldn't do that, as Hefner has proven that he could have success at this level.

Mets sign Talbot and Thompson

Talbot with the Indians

The Mets have signed pitchers Mitch Talbot and Daryl Thompson to minor league deals. They have both been assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas. 

Talbot, 29, last pitched in the Majors with the Indians in 2011, posting a 6.64 ERA in 12 starts. In 2013, he made three starts in the Miami Marlins organization before being released due to an elbow injury. Talbot has a career 5.30 ERA in 232.2 big league innings.

Thompson, 27, has spent the 2013 season with the Southern Maryland Rock Crabs of the Independent League. He posted a 3.18 ERA in 22 starts with them. He last appeared in the Major Leagues with the Cincinnati Reds during the 2011 season. Thompson has a career 8.31 ERA in 17.1 innings pitched.

I don't mind these signings. Obviously they won't too much of an impact, but the Mets need organizational filler players, and that is what Talbot and Thompson are. Talbot did have one decent season with the Indians a few years ago, but injuries have held him back. If he proves himself with the 51s, that could earn him a September call-up, and he would be able to showcase himself to receive a new contract in the winter.

Thompson has had nice success with the Rock Crabs. However, it is the Independent League, which talent wise is nowhere close to the Major League level. Thompson will be put in Triple-A to see if he could continue his fine success, and if he does I expect him to earn a call-up in September as well.

Sooner or later the Mets will shut down their younger pitchers, such as Harvey and Wheeler. The rotation is beginning to thin out as it is, with Jenrry Mejia and Jeremy Hefner both done for the season. The Mets need all the depth they can find, and who knows, maybe they'll strike lightning in a bottle with one of these minor league signings.

d'Arnaud will stay with Mets, Recker optioned to Triple-A

After Monday's game against the Twins, the Mets announced that Travis d'Arnaud will remain on the big league roster. John Buck has been activated from the paternity list, and Anthony Recker has been optioned to Triple-A. Sandy Alderson told reporters that Buck will likely shift to being the backup catcher to allow d'Arnaud to have the majority of playing time.

d'Arnaud, the team's top hitting prospect, was called up 4 days ago, and has gone 0-for-7. However, he has walked 5 times in 12 plate appearances, which gives him a .417 on-base percentage. The entire reason for d'Arnaud's promotion was because John Buck was expected to go on the paternity list. 

Recker, the team's backup catcher since day one of the season, has been exactly what the team expected of him. His .193 batting average and .244 on-base percentage are well below league average, but he has been a solid backup catcher for the team. 

This is the right move, especially considering that the Mets are out of contention, and are looking towards next season. We've heard a lot about d'Arnaud, and now that he is finally healthy, it is time for him to show what he can do at the Major League level. 

I have no problem with Buck as the backup catcher. He will definitely add a solid veteran presence for d'Arnaud, and will earn a much needed rest. He was never supposed to become the every-day catcher, but because of d'Arnaud's injury, Buck played much more than he expected.

Recker will be back with the team when the rosters expand in a few weeks, so I don't have too much pity for him. Recker did an average job as the team's backup catcher all season long, and he does have an option for next season, so I expect him to stick with the Mets in 2014.