The New York Mets bumped reliever Dan Hammer off the big-league roster and back to the minor leagues before he appeared in a game, a trend that has become common recently.
Hammer was outrighted to Triple-A, according to his MLB.com transaction tracker. He had been added to the roster on Thursday, July 9. The Mets designated him for assignment the following day.
Today it’s Dan Hammer, who was called up yesterday but never pitched, per source. His DFA follows those of Guillo Zuñiga, Alex Carrillo, Matt Seelinger and Jared Oliva, all of whom made 0 or 1 appearances this year.
Hammer is the latest in a growing list of Mets to be added to the roster, only to get quickly discarded. This is the first time he’s been outrigthed in his career. Since Hammer doesn’t have any MLB service time, he’ll have to accept the assignment and return to Triple-A.
New York Mets Roster Update: Dan Hammer Sent Outright to Triple-A
It’s a brutal outcome for Hammer, who didn’t get to pitch in his first opportunity with the big-league club. The righty put together a strong season at Triple-A to earn the call-up. He posted a 1.77 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning across 17 appearances. Hammer opened the year at Double-A, where he struck out 31.5% of opponents to earn a bump to Syracuse.
The Mets signed Hammer as a minor league free agent in March. He was coming off one of his worst seasons as a professional. Hammer spent all of 2025 at Double-A in the Tampa Bay Rays system. He scuffled to a 6.57 ERA over 38.1 innings. Despite the rough showing, the Mets took a chance on him. Based on his numbers so far in the minors this season, the gamble seems to be paying off.
Hammer was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles out of the University of Pittsburgh in 2019. The Orioles used the first pick of the 13th round to land Hammer. He delivered unremarkable results over his first few pro seasons. The 2020 campaign was wiped out due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After a mediocre year split between High-A and Double-A, Baltimore left Hammer unprotected in the Rule 5 draft. Tampa Bay selected him, but didn’t keep him on the big-league roster. He went to the minors after the Orioles didn’t take him back.
Mets Searching for Pitching Solutions
The Boston Red Sox swept the Mets in the final series before the All-Star break. New York’s record fell to 40-57 at the end of the first half. The team will open the second half against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The shuffling in the pitching staff is the result of poor performance and injuries. The club remains without starting pitchers Clay Holmes and Tylor Megill. Relievers Reed Garrett, Dedniel Nunez, and Austin Warren are also on the injured list. The struggle to find competent arms led to brief opportunities for players like Hammer, Alex Carrillo, and Guillo Zuniga.
The decisions at the trade deadline could further test New York’s pitching depth. Freddy Peralta is one of the top names on the trade block. Subtracting him from the rotation would force the club to turn back to Jonah Tong or Kodai Senga in the rotation. Tobias Myers is also hanging out at Triple-A, waiting for his next chance in the majors.
Mets Cut Another Player Without Playing in a Game