The New York Mets made a move with a Yankees castoff reliever on Tuesday, adding left-hander Anderson Severino to their 40-man roster and optioning him to Triple-A Syracuse, a transaction made possible by Clay Holmes’ transfer to the 60-day injured list.
The roster shuffle also required New York to designate outfielder Austin Slater for assignment, clearing a second 40-man spot alongside the Holmes move to make room for both Severino and Zach Thornton, a series of moves first reported by MLB.com Mets correspondent Anthony DiComo.
Severino, who turned 31 in October and was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, has spent the better part of 14 professional seasons chasing a major league career. He signed with the Yankees as an international free agent back in 2013 for just $7,500, grinding through the New York farm system for years without ever reaching the majors in pinstripes. By the time New York cut him loose, his window appeared to be closing fast.
The Chicago White Sox gave him a second shot in 2022, signing him as a minor league free agent. It was with the White Sox that Severino finally set foot in the big leagues, albeit briefly. He appeared in six games, throwing 7 1/3 innings with a 6.14 ERA and 1.500 WHIP in 2022. It was not a triumphant debut, and he did not return to affiliated ball in the United States the following year. Instead, Severino spent the next several seasons pitching in foreign leagues, keeping his arm alive while the path back to affiliated ball stayed narrow.
Severino’s Control Issues Shadowed Career
The reason Severino has spent so long in the minors is not a mystery. Across 14 professional seasons and 398 1/3 innings at all levels, he has averaged 6.4 walks per nine innings, a number that has torpedoed every sustained run he has made toward a roster spot. His Triple-A track record has been particularly brutal, with a 6.02 ERA and nearly 10 walks per nine over three stints at that level.
The left-hander spent 2025 in the Mexican League with Monclova, where he posted a 3.65 ERA across 43 games and 37 innings. His walk rate dipped to 4.9 per nine, still elevated by major league standards, but his best sustained control output in years. More importantly, he struck out 11.2 batters per nine, reaffirming the raw swing-and-miss ability that has always made Severino worth another look.
What the Mets Are Seeing From Severino
New York has even stronger reasons to be intrigued now. Through 14 appearances at Triple-A Syracuse this season, Severino owns a 1.04 ERA and 0.981 WHIP across 17 1/3 innings, with 18 strikeouts and only eight walks, a dramatic improvement in command that the Mets organization clearly noticed.
Adding Severino to the 40-man roster is the club’s way of formally staking a claim. If the strikeouts hold and the walks stay in check, a left-handed reliever currently posting those numbers at Syracuse could easily find himself at Citi Field sometime this season.
At $7,500, the Yankees once thought he was worth a bet. The Mets, watching the same arm put up a 1.04 ERA in Syracuse, have now decided he may be worth considerably more than that.
New York Mets Add Former New York Yankees Prospect