The Mets’ bullpen makeup is one of the team’s final question marks heading into the 2023 regular season, and the team made a few roster moves on Sunday that made the situation a bit more clear.
Right-handed reliever Jeff Brigham has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, while non-roster relievers TJ McFarland and Jimmy Yacabonis have been reassigned to minor league camp.
With these moves, the Mets seemingly now have four relievers left to compete for three spots in the bullpen: John Curtiss, Elieser Hernandez, Stephen Nogosekand new addition Dennis Santana.
Brigham, 31, had a decent spring for the Mets, appearing in eight games with a 3.12 ERA. He struck out 12 and walked four while holding opposing hitters to a .161 average. Brigham figures to still factor into the Mets’ big-league bullpen plans at some point this season, but he’ll start the season in Syracuse.
McFarland, a veteran lefty, appeared in eight games for the Mets this spring, pitching to a 5.40 ERA. Yacabonis, meanwhile, recorded a 3.38 ERA in 8.0 innings this spring,