Brad Brach exercises 2021 option to stay with Mets

Brad Brach has exercised his player option for 2021, according to Tim Healey of Newsday, who notes that Brach is due to make $2.075 million as a result. Brach had signed a unique deal after the 2019 season with an $850k salary for 2020 and the player option for 2021 with a base salary of $1.25 million and escalators on the amount of the option based on games played this year.

The Mets first picked Brach up late in the 2019 season, and he was pretty good for them in 19.2 innings down the stretch, posting a 3.68 ERA and 2.67 FIP. In 12.1 innings this year, however, he had a 5.84 ERA and 6.68 FIP, and he walked as many batters as he struck out.

Including his time with the Cubs in 2019, which constituted the vast majority of his season, Brach has a 5.54 ERA over the past two years. That’s not ideal, but should he prove to be ineffective in 2021, his salary shouldn’t be a major issue if the team decides to let him go.