The New York Mets recently released veteran left-handed pitcher, and he quickly found a new team eager to face his former club. The Mets non-tendered Young on November 21, about six months after he had Tommy John surgery in May. Since he wasn’t yet eligible for arbitration, the move mainly aimed to free up space on their 40-man roster to address immediate needs for left-handed relief pitching. Young’s recovery timeline remains uncertain, likely not aligning with the March season opener. Although the Mets might have considered offering him a minor-league deal for a potential reunion, he was instead signed on Tuesday by a division rival he’s already familiar with.
The Atlanta Braves announced on social media that they signed Young to a one-year, split contract for the upcoming season. According to a report from Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, Young will be paid a prorated $925,000 for any time he spends on the major league roster.
Young pitched for the Braves briefly in 2022 and 2023 and allowed just one earned run in 11 innings. The Mets signed him to a minor-league contract last January, and he wound up posting a 4.50 ERA in his two partial seasons in New York, tossing 46 innings across 52 appearances and striking out an impressive 61 batters.
The Mets and Braves currently share a lot of similarities in that pitching was a major reason for both teams’ disappointing seasons, and both are hoping to get back in the playoff picture in a loaded National League. It’s interesting, then, that a pitcher turned out to be one team’s trash and the other’s treasure.
Atlanta has been New York’s No. 1 tormentor over the last decade as well, so it would be just the Mets’ luck to someday be shut down by Young in a key spot with postseason implications on the line.
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