Mets place Sean Reid-Foley on outright waivers in surprise move

On Tuesday evening, the New York Mets placed veteran right-handed reliever Sean Reid-Foley on outright waivers.

May 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Sean Reid-Foley (71) during the tenth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

After four seasons with the New York Mets organization, right-handed reliever Sean Reid-Foley could be on the move.

On Tuesday evening, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reported that the Mets placed Reid-Foley on outright waivers. He added that it is a step toward removing him from the 40-man roster, but it leaves him exposed to a claim from another team.

The Mets have placed right-hander Sean Reid-Foley on outright waivers, according to sources. It's a step toward removing him from the 40-man roster, but it leaves him exposed to a claim from another team.

Reid-Foley missed much of last season due to shoulder issues.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 4, 2025

Reid-Foley, 29, was effective in 23 appearances last season, posting a 1.66 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and a 10.4 K/9 rate over 21.2 innings. However, he missed Opening Day due to a right shoulder impingement, which resurfaced in June and cost him the entire second half of the season.

The right-hander threw his 95-mph four-seamer 67.8% of the time in 2024, according to Statcast, and opponents hit just .149 against the pitch. He also mixed in a changeup and a slider.

While Reid-Foley has appeared in each of the past seven major league seasons, health issues have prevented him from taking on a hefty workload. He has not exceeded 30 innings since 2019 with the Toronto Blue Jays and underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in May 2022.

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The Mets tendered Reid-Foley an $800,000 contract this winter to avoid arbitration. Before being placed on waivers, he was seen as a potential candidate for the Opening Day roster, given his strong performance when healthy and the fact that he had no remaining minor league options.

However, DiComo noted that Reid-Foley's velocity was down during his lone Grapefruit League appearance this spring. He allowed one hit and one walk over 0.2 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on March 1.

Largely because he was on the 40-man. Of note, his velocity was down in his lone Grapefruit League appearance.

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) March 4, 2025

The Mets may be hoping Reid-Foley clears waivers and accepts a Triple-A assignment with Syracuse, which would open a roster spot while keeping him in the organization as depth. New York's bullpen currently includes Edwin Díaz, A.J. Minter, Ryne Stanek, Reed Garrett, José Buttó, and Dedniel Núñez.