The New York Mets had hinted that Ronny Mauricio would be making his way back down to Triple-A in the near future, and have now pulled off the move just days after his first walk-off win.
The Mets added veteran Tommy Pham to the active roster this week, sending Mauricio back to Triple-A Syracuse in order to make room. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza had hinted at the move, which now gives Mauricio the chance to be an everyday player.
Mets Send Ronny Mauricio Down for More Playing Time
As SNY reported, Mendoza said when the team placed Juan Soto on the IL that the team knew Mauricio would not stay in Queens for long.
“Coming off the bench, lefty bat, the versatility, defensively, pinch-running if we need to,” Mendoza said about Mauricio. “But also understanding that the playing time part is gonna be limited. But we’re not talking about having a case here like last year, where he kind of sat on the bench for a long time.”
Mauricio had a walk-off hit in the team’s win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, becoming the fifth player in franchise history to deliver a walk-off in their first plate appearance of the season.
As MLB.com noted, it was an important step forward for the on-time top prospect who has been sidetracked by injuries and inconsistent play.
“It was the exact type of moment Mets officials dreamed about when they signed a 16-year-old Mauricio to a $2.1 million contract back in 2017, breaking the franchise record for money given to an international amateur,” the report noted. “For years, Mauricio slowly developed, posting tepid results but continuing to advance through the system in large part because of his prospect pedigree. Finally, in 2023, he broke out and made it all the way to the Majors, only to shred his right knee playing winter ball after the season. He wound up undergoing multiple surgeries that derailed him for much of 2024-25.”
Mets Looking for Boost From Tommy Pham
The Mets are hoping to get an offensive boost from Pham, the longtime Major Leaguer who had signed with the team at the start of the season, The Athletic’s Will Sammon noted.
“Pham, who agreed to a minor-league deal on Opening Day, is expected to meet the team in Los Angeles, where the club will open a three-game set against the Dodgers on Monday,” Sammon wrote. “He will receive a $2.25 million base salary for reaching the majors. The move was made official on Monday.”
Sammon noted that Pham didn’t have a fantastic performance in Triple-A, but got the call-up to help a team that has taken some hits through the first few weeks of the season.
“The 38-year-old is set to join an outfield that includes Carson Benge, Brett Baty, Jared Young and Tyrone Taylor as options at the corners,” Sammon wrote. “Luis Robert Jr. is the team’s center fielder. As part of a ramp up, Pham played five games for Single-A St. Lucie, where he went 2-for-12.”
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