Tyler Rogers likely to first surface with Mets against Giants, his former team
San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Rogers throws to a Los Angeles Dodgers batter during the ninth inning of a game on July 12 in San Francisco. Credit: AP/Godofredo A. Vásquez
Tyler Rogers had been in the San Francisco Giants’ organization since he was drafted in June 2013.
More than 12 years later, Rogers’ first big-league pitch not in a Giants uniform likely will come against his former team.
The Mets acquired the righthanded submariner on Wednesday, and he should make his Mets debut during this weekend’s three-game series against San Francisco at Citi Field.
“Baseball is funny that way, isn’t it?” Rogers said before the Mets’ 4-3, 10-inning loss to the Giants on Friday night. “I guess it was 13 years I was in the Giants’ organization. So to get traded is new, and then to go out there and pitch for a new team for the first time ever is going to be weird. And then to look up and see a Giants uniform in the batter’s box is going to be something.
“But no real expectations with that. Just going to kind of take it in stride. It’s going to be memorable, for sure. It’s the only team I haven’t faced yet.”
The Mets also acquired former Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley on Wednesday. They traded for Orioles centerfielder Cedric Mullins hours before the deadline on Thursday.
Like Rogers, Helsley and Mullins previously spent their entire professional careers with one organization.
Rogers is 34, Helsley 31 and Mullins 30. Helsley and Mullins were drafted in 2015.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Helsley said. “I’d probably try to equate it to like the first day of school, like maybe freshman year or something like that. Everything’s so new. But like I said, I’m excited to be here. I know a lot of these guys from playing them over the last few years and I’m excited to try to help this team win some games.”
Mullins, who arrived at Citi Field just in time to take batting practice Friday, was not in the lineup Friday.
“It’s kind of a hard thing to describe,” he said of the trade. “I’ve been with Baltimore my entire career, even since being drafted. But it’s part of the business, and I think overall the feeling is excitement.”
Mullins has a .229/.305/.433 slash line with 15 home runs, 49 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. He had a great July, hitting .290 with an .868 OPS.
“Bringing a ring back to the city, I think that’s what it’s all about,” he said. “We go out there, we have fun, but we want championships. And this is a great opportunity to do so.”
Rogers traveled with the Giants to New York, saying “it was kind of a blessing” as he got to say goodbyes on the flight.
Rogers has had a tremendous season, posting a 1.80 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP in 50 innings. He has 38 strikeouts to four walks and zero hit batsmen and has surrendered only three homers.
Rogers’ sinker, which he uses 74.1% of the time, has an average velocity of 83.3 mph — well below the righthander average of 94 mph. He also has a slider that he uses 25.9% of the time and clocks 74 mph on average.
On the flip side, the righthanded Helsley — who has 21 saves after leading MLB with 49 last year — has a dynamic four-seam fastball that averages 99.3 mph. His most-used pitch is a slider with an average velocity of 88.9 mph.
Helsley has a 3.00 ERA, 41 strikeouts and 14 walks in 36 innings. He was an All-Star and finished in the top 12 in the National League Cy Young Award voting in both 2024 and 2022.
As far as late-game situations go, manager Carlos Mendoza said Edwin Diaz “will continue to be our guy.”
“We will continue to use the same way we’ve been using him,” Mendoza said. “If we feel like the best way to deploy him is in the eighth inning, we will do it, and then we’ll figure it out the ninth.”
Said Helsley: “I told him I’d be ready to pitch whenever he wants me to. I’m sure [Diaz’s] got the ninth, and he’s one of the best closers in the game. He’s been one of the best for [several] years, so he definitely deserves that role. And if I need to throw the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, whenever it be, I’m glad to do so.”
Notes & quotes: The Mets optioned Luisangel Acuna and righthander Chris Devenski to Triple-A Syracuse . . . Lefthander Brandon Waddell is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton on Saturday . . . Lefthander Jose Castillo was outrighted to Syracuse.
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
