Mets activated Seth Lugo from disabled list, designated Sean Gilmartin for assignment, Cardinals claimed Gilmartin

Seth Lugo was activated from the 60-day disabled list prior to his scheduled start Sunday afternoon against the Braves. After coming up in late 2016 and proving to be a big asset for the Mets down the stretch last year—posting a 2.67 ERA over 64 innings (17 appearances, eight starts)—Lugo was expected to be an important member of the 2017 staff coming out of spring training. But an injury suffered during his stint for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic—ultimately diagnosed as a partial UCL tear—postponed the right-hander’s season debut until yesterday.

Following up on the successful season debut of Steven Matz in the nightcap of yesterday’s double-header, the Mets are clearly counting on a similarly successful return from Lugo in hopes of turning around the fortunes of their beleaguered pitching staff—not to mention the fortunes of their 2017 season.

In a corresponding roster move, the Mets designated Sean Gilmartin for assignment. The left-hander was quickly claimed by the St. Louis Cardinals. After joining the Mets as a Rule 5 draftee in the 2014 offseason, Gilmartin spent the entire 2015 season with the major league team. The soft-tossing lefty was quite effective that season, posting a 2.67 ERA (143 ERA+) over 57.1 innings pitched. He had struggled badly in sporadic major league opportunities over the last two seasons, though (16 appearances, one start).