Oliver Ortega: Everything you need to know

Ortega (elbow) struck out one batter and surrendered two earned runs on one hit and two walks over one inning in his season debut for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday after being reinstated from the 7-day injured list. After requiring surgery last summer to remove a bone spur from his right elbow, Ortega signed a minor-league deal with the Mets over the winter but had remained on the shelf all season while completing his recovery from the procedure. He finally made his debut for the Triple-A club Sunday, which came after he completed an eight-appearance rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie. Ortega will look to finish the season on a high note with the hope of securing a minor-league deal with the Mets or another organization during the upcoming offseason.

Ortega (elbow) signed a minor-league contract with the Mets, which includes an invitation to spring training Sunday, Jon Morosi of MLB Networkreports. Ortega is recovering from an elbow surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2024 season. He has previously pitched in low-leverage roles out of the Angels' and Twins' bullpen.

The Astros outrighted Ortega (elbow) on Monday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports. Ortega will now enter free agency rather than stick around with the Astros' organization. Ortega signed a one-year contract with Houston in March, but he never pitched a single inning during the 2024 regular season. He underwent surgery in March to remove loose bodies in his right elbow, and he had a follow-up procedure in late June to remove a bone spur from the same elbow. If Ortega does catch on with another team, it's unclear whether he'll be available to pitch for the start of spring training.