After today's demoralizing 7-3 loss to the Nationals in extra innings, the Mets made two quick roster moves to shore up their ragged bullpen. Blaine Boyer, who allowed four runs in the eleventh inning and pitched to a 10.80 ERA overall with the Mets, has been designated for assignment to make room for Jason Isringhausen, who had a fine spring and is a great story besides. I hope Boyer makes it through waivers because I still think he can be a useful ground ball righty, though he was neither useful nor grounder prone this afternoon.
The Mets also sent Lucas Duda down to Triple-A Buffalo and recalled Ryota Igarashi, who was terrible last season but pitched well enough in spring training. The Mets will carry thirteen pitchers until Jason Bay is ready to return from the disabled list, at which time the team will have to make another roster decision.
A handful of appearances is a pretty small sample from which to judge a player's value to the team, but the Mets needed to make a decision on Isringhausen this week and so here we are. To summarize:
RECALLED
Jason Isringhausen, RHP
Ryota Igarashi, RHP
DEMOTED
Lucas Duda, OF
DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT
Blaine Boyer, RHP
Isringhausen and Igarashi will have to be added to the 40-man roster. The Mets appear to have only 38 players on the 40-man roster, so in aggregate these moves will bring that number up to 39.
During spring training, Bay offered his No. 44 jersey to Isringhausen, who tabled the discussion at the time, saying he'd consider it if and when he made the team. I guess we'll find out tomorrow if the jersey swap is a go. That's Numberwang!