Right-hander Matt Festa has elected free agency, per Will Sammon of The Athletic on X. That indicates he cleared waivers after being designated for assignment earlier this week. He had the right to elect free agency by virtue of having a previous career outright.
Festa, 31, signed a minor league deal with the Mets in May. He tossed 15 1/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse with a nice 1.76 earned run average. He struck out 32.2% of batters faced, limited walks to a 5.1% rate and got grounders on 45.7% of balls in play.
That’s a small sample size but it could hardly have gone better and it allowed Festa to returns to the big leagues. He was selected to the roster on Sunday and put into that day’s game, though his appearance could hardly have gone much worse.
The Mets and Astros were tied at five after 10 innings and Festa got the ball in the 11th. The inning started with Alex Bregman on second, then the Mets decided to intentionally walk Yordan Alvarez, leaving Festa to start with two runners on and none out. He went on to surrender four hits in the inning from there, allowing the free runner and four others to score as the Mets lost 10-5.
He was designated for assignment a few days later and now returns to the open market. It would be easy to sneer at a pitcher who currently has an ERA of 36.00 on the year, but Festa’s larger track record is more intriguing. He has thrown 94 2/3 innings with a 4.66 ERA, 25.1% strikeout rate and 10.9% walk rate. In 97 1/3 minor league innings since the start of 2021, he has a 1.85 ERA, 29.3% strikeout rate and 8.3% walk rate.
Uncle Festa & the rest of the Adams family will be pleased. Did this happen on a Wednesday…
Call the Twins. Pair up with David and make it a FESTA-VAL in Minnesota !!
Party party
Serenity Now!
It’s a Festa-vus for the rest of us.
The Addams Family started, when Uncle Festa farted.
…
(Sorry, Matt.)
No apology needed, I’ve always appreciated bathroom humor (I snicker at it all the time)
Consulting Reddit, apparently there are versions of the Addams Family theme song used as football (i.e. soccer) insults.
Good times.
ISD Dude, I’m out of my element & totally lost here
@Curly Ever heard of “Jingle Bells, Batman smells”?
Kids in the 80s and prior had that and other funny songs making the rounds at schools, one of which was a modified version of the Addams Family theme song. My OP quoted part of it (I can’t quote the rest here; there are even multiple versions, because of course there are).
This was meme-ing before we had the internet on which to meme.
ISD, I just fell down and I can’t get up, catch you later
Jerry D from Mariners on line 1
You thinking he’s going to fill Bazardo’s spot? I do think peak Festa is better than Bazardo. He may not have as good a chase pitch as EB but Festa will likely get you more gb’s than EB also. I don’t see Festa being anything other than BP depth at this point. A ceiling of RP8
The current M’s FO might not be very good at cultivating a lineup but they do know how to build BP’s.
I agree…would make a good depth. A position we need some right now. He has history of course with team also.
Weird, but I think he resigned a minors deal or accepted his outright with the Mets. He is listed tonight on Syracuse’s active roster as they are playing Worcester. And their transactions page indicates he was outrighted.
Update: It is official! Sunday July 7- Syracuse announces Matt Festa declared free agency as they announce signing Matt Gage.
I guess the Syracuse Public Relations staff took time off for the 4th of July and are now back at work.