Mets' Tomas Nido clears waivers, heads to Triple-A Syracuse
Tomas Nido of the Mets bunts in the eight inning of the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on April 22, 2023 in San Francisco. Credit: Getty Images
PITTSBURGH — When the Mets recently decided they didn’t have room for Tomas Nido on their major-league roster anymore, it turned out all of the other teams thought the same.
Nido cleared waivers — a process during which any club could have grabbed him for nothing but his salary — and was sent outright to Triple-A Syracuse. That means he will stay with the organization, allowing the Mets to maintain valuable depth at a thin position.
Francisco Alvarez and Omar Narvaez remain the catcher duo. Nido, along with Michael Perez, will wait in the minors in case the Mets require another.
“Selfishly, I’m excited for us, to get another quality major-league catcher,” manager Buck Showalter said. “But I know Tomas was hoping he’d get picked up or somebody would trade for him. It doesn’t mean that it still can’t happen. A lot of that stuff is timing.”
Nido received a two-year, $3.6 million guaranteed contract from the Mets in January.
The Mets tried to trade him last week before Narvaez returned from the injured list. They didn’t find a match, nor did they this week. When Narvaez returned, they designated Nido for assignment.
“I know what we think of him, regardless of what somebody else does,” Showalter said.
Long a defense-first catcher, Nido, 29, took a step back offensively this season, batting .125 with a .153 OBP and zero extra-base hits.
Bullpen shuffle
The Mets designated righthander Stephen Nogosek (5.61 ERA, 1.64 WHIP) for assignment and promoting lefthander Zach Muckenhirn (1.11 ERA, 1.03 WHIP at Syracuse). Muckenhirn gives Showalter another lefty option but primarily is poised to fill Nogosek’s role as a multi-inning middle-relief option. He had a 1.11 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in Triple-A.
Nogosek started the season strong but took a line drive off his throwing elbow in mid-April and struggled upon returning from the IL in early May. He had a 5.61 ERA and 1.64 WHIP.
Plane problems delayed the Mets’ arrival from Atlanta. They didn’t get to their Pittsburgh hotel until about 4:30 a.m. Friday.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
