New York Mets sign veteran reliever to minor league deal

The Mets continue to build bullpen depth, signing right-hander Junior Fernández to a minor league contract.

Jul 11, 2022; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Junior Fernandez (44) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The New York Mets made a series of roster moves ahead of Tuesday's matchup against the Baltimore Orioles, most notably the return of Jesse Winker and an IL stint for Starling Marte.

But this also included the addition of right-handed reliever Junior Fernández, who was signed to a minor league contract and assigned to Triple-A Syracuse. This season, the 28-year-old has a 4.93 ERA with 53 strikeouts across 31 relief appearances for the Kansas City Royals' Triple-A affiliate, the Omaha Storm Chasers.

The Mets signed Junior Fernández to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Syracuse.

Fernández was recently with the Royals' Triple-A affiliate, where he produced a 4.93 ERA as a reliever but struck out an elite 12.4 batters per nine. Control was a major issue.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) July 8, 2025

Fernández's last big league stint came in 2022, when he played for both the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates. In his combined 16 appearances, he managed a solid 2.41 ERA with 14 Ks (against 12 walks) across 18.2 innings.

Fernández fanned an impressive 12.4 batters per nine innings this year behind a sinker, slider, changeup, and a 99 mph four-seam fastball. However, the veteran pitcher has struggled with control throughout his four-year MLB career; he's racked up 47 strikeouts but also issued 35 free passes, amounting to a 1.34 K/BB ratio and inflating his ERA and WHIP to 5.17 and 1.72, respectively. Nonetheless, he will add experience and depth to the Mets' minor league system.

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The signing comes in the wake of RHP Alex Carrillo's promotion from Triple-A to the major league roster and the DFA of recently signed veteran Zach Pop; the latter had signed a major league contract with New York just five days earlier. As the Mets continue to shuffle their right-handed relievers through Syracuse and Queens, Fernández could be in line for his first big league action in over two years.