Mets Part Ways with Tommy Pham, Sign Austin Slater as Replacement

Tommy Pham’s brief return to the Mets has come to an end after just two weeks, as the team has decided to designate him for assignment. In a swift move to bolster their lineup, the Mets have signed veteran outfielder Austin Slater.

Slater, a 33-year-old who previously played for the Marlins, had a challenging start to the season, recording a .460 OPS over 11 games before his release. Meanwhile, Pham, at 38, struggled to find his footing, going 0-for-13 at the plate in a part-time role since joining the team on a minor league deal.

In the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Rockies, Pham started as the left fielder but managed only two at-bats without a hit. The Mets ultimately fell to the Rockies, losing both games 3-1 and 3-0.

On the mound, rookie Nolan McLean had a mixed outing, expressing satisfaction despite not achieving a clean performance. He pitched into the sixth inning of the first game but was pulled with the bases loaded, contributing to the team’s loss. McLean allowed two runs—one unearned—while striking out seven batters and throwing 91 pitches.

“I thought my stuff was in a good spot,” McLean reflected. “I am pretty happy with the outing. There was some traffic there in a couple of innings, but I felt I did a good job.” Despite the loss, McLean has shown resilience, maintaining a 2.55 ERA across six starts this season.

When asked about the pressure of pitching for a struggling lineup, McLean remained optimistic. “The way we see it in the clubhouse, it’s just any minute now,” he said. “We look at the lineup going out there each day and we know how hard they are working. It’s just a matter of time. We know how good these players are.”

In injury news, Jorge Polanco has made progress in his recovery from a right wrist contusion and is now running and hitting off a tee. He is also dealing with right Achilles bursitis, an ongoing issue since the season’s opening weekend. Manager Carlos Mendoza indicated that Polanco’s situation will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.