The Mets had a few glaring weaknesses on their 2023 squad that went from World Series contenders to finishing 75-87.
Arguably, the most significant weakness was the bullpen.
The blue and orange had a bullpen with a 4.45 team ERA, the 8th highest in the majors, and have already lost multiple relievers, including set-up man Adam Ottavino, to free agency.
With limited options in their minor league system, David Stearns and company have spent most of the offseason making additions. On Monday afternoon, they acquired another potential piece from the White Sox.
According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, the Mets have acquired RHP Yohan Ramirez in exchange for cash considerations.
A look at Ramirez’s baseball journey so far
Ramirez’s baseball journey started in 2016 when the Houston Astros signed him as an international free agent.
The Dominican Republic native spent the next three years working up the Astros system before being selected by the Seattle Mariners in the 2019 Rule 5 draft.
Ramirez got called up the following season and made his big league debut on July 24, 2020, against his former team, the Astros, where he pitched one scoreless inning.
The right-hander finished his rookie campaign, pitching 20.2 innings across 16 appearances to a 2.61 ERA with a 1.403 WHIP and 26 strikeouts.
Ramirez struggled to replicate the same success in his sophomore season, pitching 27.2 innings across 25 appearances to a 3.90 ERA with a 1.084 WHIP and 35 strikeouts.
The Dominican Republic native’s struggles continued to begin in 2022, making only seven appearances before being designated for assignment. The Cleveland Guardians would acquire the right-hander before designating him for assignment on July 3, 2022, after just one appearance.
The Pittsburgh Pirates then acquired Ramirez for cash considerations on July 8, 2022.
Across the three teams, Ramirez pitched 37.1 innings across 30 games to a 4.58 ERA with a 1.393 WHIP and 32 strikeouts.
The 28-year-old spent 2023 bouncing between Triple-A Indianapolis and the Pirates bullpen before being designated for assignment in early September.
The White Sox would claim Ramirez off waivers, and he would make five appearances to end the season.
In 2023, the 28-year-old pitched 38.1 innings across 31 appearances to a 4.23 ERA with a 1.461 WHIP and 35 strikeouts.
What does it mean for the Mets?
Signing Ramirez is a low-risk, high-reward situation for the blue and orange. The Mets will hope the 28-year-old can revitalize his career in Queens and become a solid bullpen piece.
The one-year contract will also allow the Mets to easily trade him at the deadline if he has a massive first half, which is excellent for an organization that wants to improve its farm system.
While this is another excellent low-risk acquisition for the Mets, the blue and orange need to find higher-quality bullpen pieces with more consistent track records if they hope to improve in 2024 legitimately.