The Mets are reportedly in agreement with right-hander Andre Scrubb on a minor league deal, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. It’s not yet clear if the deal includes an invite to big league spring training.
Scrubb, 29 next month, was an eighth-round pick by the Dodgers in the 2016 draft. After being traded to the Astros back in 2019 in exchange for first baseman Tyler White, Scrubb made his big league debut with Houston during the shortened 2020 campaign. He appeared in 20 of the club’s 60 contests that season, dominating to a sparkling 1.90 ERA in 23 2/3 innings of work. Under the hood, however, Scrubb’s performance was far less impressive due to struggles with control, as evidenced by a whopping 19.6% walk rate that contributed to a pedestrian 4.25 FIP. Those control issues didn’t stop the then-25-year-old righty from contributing to Houston’s run to the ALCS that season, however, as he posted a 2.25 ERA with seven strikeouts against two walks in four innings of work.
Scrubb’s results came crashing back to Earth in 2021. The right-hander struggled badly in 18 appearances with the big league club that season, posting a 5.03 ERA and 6.48 FIP as his control problems led not only to a walk rate of 16.3% but also a whopping five home runs allowed in just 19 2/3 innings of work. Scrubb’s appearances at the Triple-A level went better, as he posted a 1.80 ERA in 15 innings of work, but the control issues lingered until Scrubb went down with a shoulder strain in July. The righty was outrighted off Houston’s 40-man roster following the 2021 season and missed almost the entirety of the 2022 campaign due to injury.
Most recently, Scrubb pitched in independent ball during the 2023 season, posting a dominant 1.52 ERA in 29 2/3 innings of work with the Atlantic League. Scrubb seemingly had command issues under control during his time with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, as he walked just 8.3% of batters faced during that time while posting a 30% strikeout rate. Going forward, Scrubb figures to provide the Mets with a high-octane arm who can act as minor league depth entering 2024. If his control has indeed improved since his time in Houston, it’s easy to see how Scrubb could break into a bullpen that currently figures to feature arms like Phil Bickford, Jose Butto and Sean Reid-Foley.
Ok now Stearns is genuinely trolling the fanbase. A guy named Scrub? Come on he knows the reaction this will get among the Franks.
Put in a bun and we’ll talk
they have to be trolling right now lol
Exactly what I thought. I’m sure it gave him a smile to sign him. And how cool if it turns out to be worth it. :^)
I’m telling you the Mets have nothing but over priced players and Scrubs
Say what you want, I’ll still root for them. If you’re wrong, I’ll be glad; if you’re right, I’ve seen it before. I expect a wild card run this year.
If the guy can find his control, he might be a low-risk/high-reward player. Really not much of an investment lost if he tanks.
And it sounds like he may have, in the independent and winter leagues. Perhaps he really focused on that during his rehab. I’m certainly willing to be optimistic. And like you said, no real cost to the move, so it’s well worth signing him.
they’re also targeting jose replacement-level and fred fungible
LOL … Good thing none of us armchair GM’s are in charge. But we can speculate, and sometimes we’re even right.
Mets sign a scrub?
What a suprise
Remember when they signed a Putz
its worse .. we didnt sign the putz … we traded half the team away to get a putz
No jokes here. Best baseball name since Heinie Manush.
Don’t forget Pete LaCock, Bud Weiser, Phenomenal Smith, Mysterious Walker, Stubby Clapp, Boof Bonser, Dick Pole,
Or Coco Crisp!
How dare you forget the legendary Rusty Kuntz.
Among the current crop, there’s Dick Lovelady.
Woo Suk Go, Kosuke Fukudome.
Since there was a pro athlete named Bart Starr, it follows that there would be a guy named Scrubb.
Strategically speaking, wouldn’t Andre Scrubb go into the game after Scott Blewett to save the rest of the bullpen? Braves released Blewett, seems like a good fit here.
Johnny Dickshot
baseball-reference.com/players/d/dicksjo01.shtml
Race car driver Dick Trickle is the all time best.
Maybe.
Or Ben Dover
The Guardians ….think Indians actually drafted Tommy Hawke from Wake Forest in the last draft!
boots poffenberger, bud weiser and cannonball titcomb are personal favorites
Ever seen Scrubb’s brushback pitch? Whoa Nelly…
Always knew Mets signed scrubs, but not like this.
*insert joke about his last name here*
Nothing like a MiLB depth signing to drive NYM fans bonkers. Imagine when they sign a top name
Basic
The biggest Scrub of the MLBTR bunch writing about a Scrubb…right on!
Sadsack Citi will benefit from a good Scrubb now and again.
Now he can fly with the team rather than getting to games via the passenger side of his best friend’s ride.
Best comment here.
Guess Stearns is really cleaning house!
You got to hand to the NY Mets. This off season has been one of hiring a lot of minor leagues
First the New POBO and then the manager and need front office staff and finally the players
Should have hire Kenny Williams and then talk Billy E In to staying. Next hire Joe Maddon as manger
Mets fans would more Happy In a better mood #Justsaying
wtf?
When I asked if the Mets were going to sign every scrub in baseball this offseason I didn’t think they’d take it so literally.
No, I don’t want no scrub
A scrub is a guy that can’t get no love from me
Hangin’ out the passenger side
Of his best friend’s ride
Trying to holla at me
I don’t want no scrub
A scrub is a guy that can’t get no love from me
Hangin’ out the passenger side
Of his best friend’s ride
Trying to holla at me
Please! This cannot really be true!
Hey! Enough of the jokes. Those guys all mentioned at least got to play ML Baseball! The rest of us can only dream…
How close did you get to playing in the bigs?
I don’t dream about playing baseball. I’m not even good at it.
If I was always good at it, I would probably hate it. All the casual fans saying I need to take the trash out, be a mentor, smile, care about Larrys fantasy stats, and all sorts of obnoxious things that fans want.
I would be all like, why dont YOU take the trash out for free, you take your fantasy stats and put em up your ARod.
It would be a dream nightmare for me. Like high-school all over again. Wedgies. And Back to the Ole bullying.
Ugh.
It gets old giving wedgies out like candy. They complain, but always come back for more.
It’s a thankless job.
Maybe it will be like Johnny Cash’s ” A boy named Sue”.
Jeremy Hefner sure has his work cut out for him.
The bad news is that in 2023 he couldn’t turn ANY of this type into a respectable reliever.
He was 0 for 20. Maybe 1 fer if you can stomach Trevor Gott’s peripherals, but even Gott wasn’t actually good.
Came here for the puns, and not disappointed.
James Outman hits just fine.
Andre’s got a bunch of brothers too. Could be enough to field the whole team with them.
Typical Stearns signing
Who?
What an amazingly dumb post.
But without his characteristic racism. So that’s a plus /s
At least he’s not a scab!
We don’t want no Scrub!
Scrubb is a guy who can’t get no love.
Scrubb will only come into blow outs, for mop-up duty. But it would be sweet if he could bat clean-up!
imagine if they got Shildt …
ahh shildt is gonna have to scrub heineman … its gonna be tough out.
Kinda surprised he didn’t get an offer from KBO or Japan. Usually these guys go there first to work their way back.
It seems Stearns has a “type,” a high K, high BB guy who suppresses HR, good upside, probably maxes out at 30 effective innings in MLB if he’s able to pitch.
Nothing wrong with it. These are the guys who inevitably give you 200 innings over the course of a season as you run through 30-35 pitchers a year in this beleaguered century.
This comment section has nothing about Andre Scrubb and his playing ability, only comments about his name and the Mets signing Mr Scrubb..
His nickname has to be Scrub daddy from the Mets.
Perfect name for a Met
Don’t want no scrubs
I love it. Mets sign a scrub.
All jokes aside, every team makes signings like this. I’m always fascinated by fans who get upset with minor league signings. They come with no risk, and the potential for a reward. I hate the mets, but to suggest that this is some sort of indictment on the new general manager is just insane.