Mets designate Fernando Salas for assignment

The Mets have designated relief pitcher Fernando Salas for assignment to make room on their active roster for Dominic Smith, who will be in a Mets uniform for the first time on Friday night. Salas struggled mightily this year, and he finished the Mets portion of his season with a 6.00 ERA and 4.40 FIP in 45.0 innings of work.

Acquired relatively late in the season last year in a trade, Salas was a pleasant surprise for the 2016 Mets as they worked their way toward clinching the first Wild Card spot in the National League. He had a 2.08 ERA and 3.20 FIP with zero walks in 17.1 innings down the stretch, and the team signed him relatively late in the offseason to come back for the 2017 season on a one-year deal. Given the way things went, it’s not at all surprising that he’s the guy to go for Smith.