Mets sign Jimmy Yacobonis to a minor-league deal

Dec 2, 2022 - 7:21 PM

The Mets signed New Jersey native Jimmy Yacobonis to a minor-league deal, reports Michael Mayer. Yacobonis, entering his age 31 season, has pitched in parts of five big league seasons for the Orioles, Mariners, Marlins, and Rays.

It was with the Orioles that Yacobonis played under current Mets manager Buck Showalter, appearing in 101.2 innings over three seasons. Those seasons weren’t exactly dominant, with an average ERA of 5.52 across his time in Baltimore. Home runs have been a problem for Yacobonis, giving up 23 in 118 career innings.

While the Mets clearly have a lot more work to do in the bullpen, this is the type of signing that costs the team very little and may turn out to be a boon for them down the road. Showalter’s familiarity with Yacobonis means that he seemingly liked what he saw from the reliever in some capacity.

The Mets have added a number of pitchers on similar deals this off-season, acquiring Elieser Hernandez, Jeff Brigham, Wiliam Woods, and Stephen Ridings in low-cost, depth building transactions.