Mets call up José Ureña to the bullpen as A.J. Minter heads to IL

Ahead of Sunday’s game, the New York Mets selected the contract of Jose Ureña and placed reliever A.J. Minter on the Injured List.

Sep 13, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Texas Rangers reliever Jose Urena (54) delivers a pitch during the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

A flurry of transactions ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Washington Nationals will see a veteran pitcher added to the New York Mets' bullpen.

Ten-year veteran José Ureña had his contract selected by the Mets, and according to manager Carlos Mendoza, he will be ready to go for Sunday’s game. Ureña was pitching in relief at Triple-A Syracuse, where he appeared in three games; the righty posted a respectable 2.89 ERA across 9.1 innings, with eight strikeouts and four walks.

Carlos Mendoza says José Ureña is "good to go" and will be available from the bullpen today: pic.twitter.com/VPGu6RYHEF

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 27, 2025

The transaction was a result of high-leverage reliever A.J. Minter being placed on the 15-day IL with a left lat strain; the southpaw exited Saturday’s game after recording just nine pitches. Following the game, Minter and Mendoza had already determined that the injury would lead to an IL stint, which was confirmed on Sunday morning.

"He's getting an MRI right now... it seems like more of a lat injury. We just don't know the severity of it."

Carlos Mendoza provides an update on A.J. Minter: pic.twitter.com/NIS4CduKVU

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 27, 2025

Minter’s injury is just the latest in a slew of injuries for the Mets so far this season. Starters Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas are both still dealing with injuries sustained in Spring Training. Montas, who himself is dealing with a high-grade lat strain, has recently started throwing from 75-90 feet and is on track to return to the rotation in late-May or early-June. A similar injury to Minter would potentially sideline him until August.

Read More: New York Mets reliever A.J. Minter leaves game with injury

While Ureña has proven himself to be a capable big league pitcher, Minter’s absence at the back-end of the bullpen will be felt, especially with a lack of left-handed relievers. This leaves Danny Young as the only southpaw left in the Mets’ bullpen: Young had a tough time with his control in March, but has shown improvement in eight April appearances. Recently re-signed lefty Brooks Raley is still rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, but is on track to be ready for the Mets later this summer.

Ureña pitched in 33 games for the Texas Rangers last season, recording a 5-8 record across 109 innings as both a starter and reliever. He posted a 3.80 ERA and 1.32 WHIP but was not re-signed at the end of the season. At the end of February, as the injuries to Mets pitchers mounted, the team signed Ureña to a minor league contract with an invitation to Spring Training.

Mets wanted bullpen length when replacing Minter's spot on the roster, thus Ureña is available in relief. They'll likely end up using him over next couple days before they need a sixth starter against Arizona. Brandon Waddell is a name to keep in mind, given AZ's numbers vs. LHP.

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) April 27, 2025

Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the Mets selected Ureña in hopes of utilizing his length out of the bullpen; Sammon says Ureña will be utilized as an innings-eater over the next couple of games, as the team does not have a day off until May 8th. A sixth starter will likely be called up at some point, with Sammon pointing to lefty Brandon Waddell as a name to keep in mind.