QUEENS, NY — The New York Mets recalled right-handed pitcher Dom Hamel from Triple-A Syracuse on Monday ahead of their series opener against the Cleveland Guardians at Citi Field.
Ranked as the No. 27 prospect within the organization by MLB Pipeline, the 26-year-old is in his second full season in Triple-A Syracuse, where he has been converted from a starter into more of a swingman.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Hamel said. “I’ve been working hard and got a whole lot of support. So I’m just excited to do it for them and be a part of this team.”
In 22 appearances this year (eight starts), Hamel is 4-5 with a 4.73 ERA, 1.260 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts in 53.1 innings of work.
He will be used mostly as a multi-inning arm to replace Austin Warren, who pitched four innings in relief on Sunday and was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move on Monday.
“Provide length. He’s got pitches, multiple innings, and I’m excited to have him,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s adjusted to that role in the bullpen down in Triple-A, and there’s a need here for length in case we need what happened [Sunday] when Warren — we asked a lot of him — pretty much saved our bullpen.”
The need for a reliever to eat up innings has become something of a necessity for a Mets rotation in flux, which most recently saw Frankie Montas hammered for seven runs in Sunday’s 12-4 loss to the San Francisco Giants, raising his season ERA to 6.68.
He was the latest Met to fail to deliver any semblance of length, as David Peterson is the only starter since June 13 to complete six innings in a game. Along with Montas, Kodai Senga has struggled in his last three starts, while Clay Holmes is showing significant signs of wear amidst the career-high workload that has come with his conversion from reliever to starter.
Mendoza said that Montas will make his next scheduled appearance on Saturday in Milwaukee against the Brewers, but the team might use an opener before handing the ball over to him.
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