The Mets are signing reliever John Curtiss to a major league deal, general manager Billy Eppler told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com and Tim Healey of Newsday). The team is also selecting outfielder Travis Jankowski to the major league roster for Opening Day. Curtiss will make $770K this season, and next year’s option is valued at $775K, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link).
Curtiss isn’t expected to pitch for the entire 2022 campaign. The 29-year-old righty suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament while pitching for the Brewers last August, an injury that eventually required Tommy John surgery. Milwaukee had just acquired Curtiss from the Marlins at that summer’s trade deadline. He’d had an excellent first half in Miami, pitching to a 2.48 ERA in 40 innings with a solid 24.8% strikeout percentage and tiny 5.6% walk rate.
Milwaukee no doubt envisioned Curtiss serving as an important bullpen piece both down the stretch and over the next few seasons, but he only managed six relief appearances as a Brewer. They non-tendered him in November, electing against carrying an injured pitcher on the 40-man roster all winter. Curtiss only has a bit more than two years of MLB service, so he’ll be controllable via arbitration even beyond the 2023 option year. The Mets will take a low-risk dice roll to see if Curtiss can be a member of the big league bullpen next year and beyond. While rehabbing, he’ll pick up a big league salary and MLB service time on the injured list.
Curtiss will spend the entire season on the 60-day injured list, but the Mets first have to clear a 40-man roster spot to sign him to a big league deal. To do so, they’ve designated utilityman Travis Blankenhorn for assignment. New York claimed the left-handed hitter off waivers from the Mariners in June. That concluded a series of waiver claims for the former third-round pick, who bounced from the Twins to the Dodgers to Seattle and then Queens in a span of a few weeks.
Blankenhorn has only tallied 28 plate appearances at the big league level. He owns a solid .253/.361/.460 slash in a pair of Triple-A campaigns, though, and can still be optioned to the minor leagues for another season. That could lead another club to acquire Blankenhorn via minor trade or waivers in the next week.
Once Curtiss’ deal is made official, the Mets will place him on the 60-day IL and free a 40-man roster spot. That’ll go to Jankowski, who cracked the Opening Day roster after signing a minor league contract this offseason. He adds a fleet-footed player with experience at all three outfield spots to the New York bench. He has played 400+ innings everywhere on the grass as a big leaguer, with the bulk of that experience coming in center field.
The 30-year-old will serve as a speed/defense specialist behind the starting outfield of Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte and Mark Canha. The lefty-swinging Jankowski has never been much of a threat at the plate, as he owns a .239/.322/.318 line in a bit more than 1,100 big league plate appearances.
Milwaukee-2208
What are the Mets doing
VonPurpleHayes
Nothing to get excited or upset about here. Just a depth move for the future.
phenomenalajs
Yes, that’s clear, though I’ll miss the “Blankenhorn of Plenty” after he hits a home run. If they were honest with themselves that deGrom won’t be back before mid-June at the earliest, they could save some of the roster gymnastics by putting him on the 60-day.
Bill M
They’re tweaking their roster, just like all teams do
Canosucks
Eppler is a complete moron; he was with Angels and now with the Mets
You have to go after this guy now? Sit the whole year?
rct
Could you please get a different hobby instead of whining and complaining in every single article about the Mets? We get it, you don’t like them.
MarlinsFanBase
@Canosucks
Maybe if you have your next screen name be @Epplersucks, you’ll be heard.
Canosucks
rct
I am a long time Mets fan and I will post criticism when deserved.
What is interesting is all the non Mets fan trolls on here who seem to be annoyed by it? If they don’t like hearing comments about the Mets maybe they should troll their own teams threads like the Marlins for example.
DonOsbourne
I will be interested to see how the Mets get down to 26 players when the time comes. It feels like they have about three guys at every position.
phenomenalajs
Well, they’ve got the rest of the month with 28. If a couple of them have options, they’ll go to Syracuse. I think they’re only carrying two catchers and not bringing Mazeika north, so my guess is it’ll be one extra position player and one pitcher. Among the pitchers, I know Sean Reid-Foley has options. I’m less sure among the position players unless they’ll have to DFA Jankowski.
PoloGrounds62
Injuries always make those decisions easier
Silent Bob23
Glad janakowski made club. Liked his spring and will be a true fourth outfielder. Still need to trade jd for a pitcher.
LFGMets (Metsin7)
I agree. I wanted Jankowski but I thought they would give Palka a roster spot instead
48-team MLB
*ROCHESTER RABBITS
Sunday Lasagna
@48 It’s Rochester Redwings, not Rabbits, and they are a AAA minor league affiliate of the Washington Nationals. Considering that they were 40th among minor league teams in attendance in 2021, there is absolutely zero chance they get a major league team. Queens population is 2.2M, Rochester population is just over 200K. In Georgia terms, Rochester is the size of Augusta. If`you suggested a move to Brooklyn, then you might be on to something
rct
This dude writes this on practically every Mets article. He wants the Mets to move to Rochester. Between him, @canosucks, and @MarlinsFanBase, they’ve got a nice little crew of trolling Mets haters going. Maybe they can get together and egg @MetsFan22’s house, assuming he has one.
Canosucks
rct I have been a Mets fan longer than you have been alive so don’t label me as a Mets hater. If the organization does something stupid I will call them out on it; and lately unfortunately it has been stupid.
48-team MLB
Would you prefer “Hartford Seals” instead? That’s the only alternative I can offer at this time.
Cohens_Wallet
I prefer Georgia Peacocks once the Braves name gets retired for being offensive. They tried once, they’ll circle back to the reigning world champs
All love.
48-team MLB
@Cohens_Wallet
The Mets (aka Rochester Rabbits) play in the biggest market in North America and yet Atlanta has two World Series titles since the Mets (aka Rochester Rabbits) won their last title.
Cohens_Wallet
Bur Georgia Peacocks sounds epic
48-team MLB
@WampumWalloper
The Mets (aka Rochester Rabbits) are not a AAA team. They are more like a AAa team.
Bud Selig Fan
$1.5MM for a nice arm like Curtiss is a smart signing. Should be as good as new next April being a reliever 20 months post TJ.
mets7300
They Needed to Start Thinking about 2023 Team… DIAZ, MAY, LUGO, OTTAVINO, SHREVE, RODRIGUEZ ALL FA At the End of The Season
jakec77
“Curtiss said what made the Mets attractive was their unmatched experience in dealing with pitchers with injured arms”.
Cohens_Wallet
I like that one 🙂
CrikesAlready
Jankowski was a great, instinctive outfielder for the Padres that could do .250 if he got at bats.
He injured himself enough that he wore out his welcome in San Diego.
Brew88
Jankowski is a plus defender and speedy/line drive hitter. I always thought if given a full season he’d put up very respectable numbers .250-.260/10 hrs/30 SBs
bobtillman
The Curtis move is one teams like the O’s or Pirates should make. But of course, their 40-man slots are taken up by too many high-quality players.
Dorothy_Mantooth
This was a very shrewd move by Eppler. Curtiss has already proven he can be successful in MLB and to sign him for only $1.5M is a great value. He had a great run with Tampa in 2020 as well. Lots of teams do this; Eppler is just following suit. The Dodgers did this with Kanhle? last season but paid him a lot more money just to pitch this season.
twilkerson
This could be a great investment. If this guy gets back to 100% or if the ligament transfer makes him stronger (like it has to some in the past) then he may be a backend reliever that we have for 775k! Would be a hell of a return if that were the case! Not a huge gamble to begin with and with the signings we’ve made this offseason and contracts set to expire after this season, we’re living for today AND tomorrow and betting to Win!
MarlinsFanBase
I can’t wait to hear the Mets Hyperbole about this addition.
raisinsss
Maybe this has been answered before but are you the reason there’s a mute button here now?
MarlinsFanBase
No, @MetsFan22 is.
MarlinsFanBase
I see below that my statement has been answered about hearing the Mets Hyperbole about this signing.
bobbyvwannabe
Love the sign. He’s a nice keeper and the Mets can afford to make these deals now.
HBan22
Curtiss is underrated. Great no-risk, potential reward move here.
WellYouDontShea
I love Jankowski. Glad he’s with the team. Curtis’s signing is for depth only. We’re just dotting our I’s and crossing t’s at this point.
jim stem
I guess picking up already injured players saves them the trouble of doing it themselves.
I don’t get this one. Why waste a 40 spot when you need healthy arms NOW?
Cosmo2
Yea this seems like a bad use of a spot on the 40