In need of additional pitching depth, the New York Mets signed veteran right-hander Julio Teheran to a one-year, $2.5 million deal, per multiple reports Wednesday.
The 33-year-old spent last season with David Stearns’ former club, the Milwaukee Brewers, where he went 3-5 with a 4.40 ERA across 14 appearances (11 starts). It was his first year back in the majors after spending the 2022 season playing in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and the Independent League. He missed nearly all of the 2021 campaign after suffering a shoulder strain.
Teheran spent spring training with the Baltimore Orioles but opted out of his contract when he did not make the Opening Day roster. With the Mets, he is expected to jump right into the starting rotation, which injuries have already hampered.
Kodai Senga is projected to return in May after suffering a shoulder sprain during the early portions of spring training. Tylor Megill then went down of a low-grade strain of his own on Sunday and was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier this week.
Jose Butto, who posted a 0.90 ERA during the exhibition slate, would have been an immediate and logical choice to replace Megill, but he is not eligible to join the big club until April 12 because he was a member of the 40-man roster that was sent down to Triple-A.
Other depth options such as Max Kranick and David Peterson are also on the shelf with injuries.
Teheran could be ready to go as early as Monday where he would face off against his old team, the Atlanta Braves.
The Colombia native was a two-time All-Star during a nine-year stint with the Braves. From 2013-2019, he went 76-72 with a 3.64 ERA and 1.208 WHIP. All the while, he dominated the Mets, racking up 10 wins and a 2.98 ERA against his new club.
