The New York Mets lost another experienced depth piece Monday after an ex-New York Yankees veteran with nine seasons of major league experience elected free agency following a brief stint with the Mets organization.
With injuries mounting and roster instability continuing to define the Mets’ disappointing start, even seemingly minor departures now reflect the broader turbulence surrounding the club heading into the heart of the season.
Austin Slater Elects Free Agency
GettyBo Bichette #19 and Austin Slater #40 of the New York Mets.
Austin Slater exercised his right to reject an outright assignment to Triple-A Syracuse, hitting the open market for the second time this season. It marks the second time in under two months the 33-year-old has turned down a demotion. The first came after the Miami Marlins outrighted him in April.
The Jacksonville, Florida, native debuted June 2, 2017, and carved out a durable career built on corner outfield defense, solid speed and a pronounced platoon advantage against left-handed pitching. Over nine seasons with the San Francisco Giants, Slater slashed .254/.344/.391 with a 103 OPS+ but proved far more dangerous against southpaws, posting a .263/.352/.420 line with a 115 wRC+ when he held the platoon edge, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
Slater’s Difficult 2026 Season With Multiple Clubs
This season, nothing has gone right at the plate for Slater. Between stints with Miami and New York, Slater carried a combined .209/.286/.233 slash line into Monday. The Marlins signed him in late March to a one-year, $1 million major league deal, cut him inside of a month, and still owe him the remainder of that salary under MLB rules.
The Mets claimed Slater off waivers, getting five hits out of him in 20 at-bats before New York’s youth movement fueled by the arrivals of A.J. Ewing and Nick Morabito made him expendable. New York outrighted him to Syracuse last week. With more than five years of service time, Slater had the right to decline the assignment. He exercised that right Monday, as recorded in his MLB.com transaction log.
New York Yankees Traded for Slater at 2025 Deadline
Slater’s route to Queens ran through the Bronx first. The New York Yankees acquired him from the Chicago White Sox at last summer’s trade deadline, a sign of respect for his reputation as a right-handed bat with corner outfield versatility even as his production had been slipping. His time in pinstripes lasted only 14 games with a .120/.120/.240 line over 25 plate appearances. Slater headed into the offseason without a major league guarantee.
He signed a minor league deal, impressed in spring training at .267/.389/.467, and earned a major league contract with Miami. But his spring production did not follow into the regular season.
Defensively, Slater has been solid. The 33-year-old has accumulated six Outs Above Average across more than 3,000 outfield innings, with positive Defensive Runs Saved marks in both right and left field. Statcast still rates his sprint speed in the 66th percentile among qualified big leaguers, enough to keep him on the radar for clubs chasing outfield depth. Whether that translates into a major league deal or a minor league invite with an opt-out will likely define what’s left of his career.
Mets Lose Ex-Yankees 10-Year MLB Veteran to Free Agency