The Mets announced that they have signed left-handed pitcher Aaron Laffey to a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training.
Laffey, 27, pitched with Toronto last season as a starter and reliever. He made 16 starts last year, in which he was 4-6 with a 4.81 ERA. As a starter, he pitched 86 innings, striking out 41, walking 30, and giving up 14 home runs. He made six appearances out of the bullpen last year, pitching 14.2 innings with a 3.07 ERA.
In his career, Laffey has a 21-25 record as a starter with a 4.46 ERA. As a reliever, he is slightly better, with a 4.14 ERA. He had his best season in 2011, coming out of the bullpen in all 47 of his appearances with the Mariners and Yankees. That year, he had a 3.88 ERA in 53.1 innings.
This is clearly a depth signing, one that won’t cost the Mets much. I wouldn’t expect him to be in the mix for the fifth spot in the rotation, as I believe the Mets will try to acquire another starter. However, I do expect Laffey to be in contention for the last bullpen spot. Having another lefty in the pen, even if he’s a long man, can take some pressure off Josh Edgin, who could start out the season as the only left-hander in the bullpen.
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