New York Mets re-sign lefty reliever to minor league deal

Poche, 31, has pitched for three teams in parts of five major league seasons. His best stretch came with the Tampa Bay Rays between 2022 and 2024, when he posted a 3.27 ERA, a 24.5% strikeout rate, and a 9.2% walk rate over 156.2 innings.

He began the 2025 season with the Washington Nationals, where he struggled to an 11.42 ERA and a 2.54 WHIP in 13 appearances before being designated for assignment on May 1. Poche then signed a minor league deal with the Mets, who assigned him to Triple-A Syracuse for more than a month before recalling him in late June.

Poche pitched in one game for the Mets on June 28, allowing two runs in two-thirds of an inning. New York waived him the next day to make room on the roster for Richard Lovelady, who was similarly brought back days after being designated for assignment.

The Mets carried two left-handers in their Opening Day bullpen — A.J. Minter and Danny Young — but lost both to season-ending injuries in late April. Since then, the club has cycled through Génesis Cabrera, José Castillo, Brandon Waddell, Lovelady, and Poche in an effort to fill that void.

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Only the latter three of those names are currently with the organization, although each has been optioned or released by New York at least once this year. Seven Mets pitchers have landed on the injured list in recent weeks, which has greatly influenced the team’s carousel of roster moves.

With the trade deadline approaching on July 31 and Brooks Raley progressing toward a return from his rehab assignment, the Mets could address their left-handed relief need sooner rather than later. In the meantime, Poche provides New York with experienced non-roster depth in case the bullpen is again left shorthanded.