Mets Sign Austin Slater, Designate Tommy Pham For Assignment
The Mets have agreed to signal outfielder Austin Slater, The Athletic’s Will Sammon stories. Slater’s signing comes shortly after information broke that outfielder Tommy Pham was designated for project, as per Mike Puma of the New York Post. It might be assumed that Slater will take Pham’s spot on the energetic roster and 40-man roster, though New York nonetheless has solely 39 gamers on the 40-man even with Slater’s arrival.
Slater is now on his third staff in a bit over a month’s time. The Tigers signed Slater to a minor league contract over the offseason, and after Slater triggered the primary obligatory opt-out clause in that contract on the finish of camp, Detroit launched the veteran moderately than including him to the Opening Day roster. Slater then shortly landed with the Marlins on a one-year, $1MM assure, however was designated for project after 12 video games.
It was simply earlier at present that Slater cleared waivers and he was elected to develop into a free agent. Because he has greater than 5 years of MLB service time, Slater can hold the rest of that $1MM wage, so the Mets may simply be paying him a prorated massive league minimal wage (which is subtracted from the $1MM complete, with the Marlins overlaying the remaining).
Slater hit solely .174/.286/.174 over his 28 PA in a Miami uniform, although that’s nonetheless higher than Pham’s numbers in a equally small pattern dimension with the Mets. Assuming that the DFA will finish Pham’s tenure in Queens, Pham will conclude his nine-game stint with zero hits and only a single stroll over 14 plate appearances.
New York signed Pham to a minor league contract proper in the beginning of the season after which chosen him to the energetic roster on April 13. His lengthy keep in free company meant that the veteran did not get any form of conventional Spring Training, though he received some ramp-up time within the Mets’ prolonged spring camp and 5 video games of single-A ball with the staff’s St. Lucie affiliate. While 14 PA is not an enormous pattern, it’s secure to marvel if Pham merely wasn’t but able to face massive league pitching, however the truth that Pham has loads of expertise as a 13-year MLB veteran.
The choice to New York’s roster locked in a prorated $2.25MM wage for Pham in 2026. Another staff would soak up the rest of that wage if Pham is claimed off waivers, however the likelier situation is that Pham goes unclaimed, leaving the Mets on the hook for the remaining cash it doesn’t matter what the following step is in Pham’s profession.
He has greater than sufficient MLB service time to reject an outright project in favor of free company, though it is attainable Pham may settle for an outright simply to get extra taking part in time within the Mets’ farm system, with a handshake settlement in place to recall Pham as soon as he’s absolutely ramped up. However, the Slater signing most likely means Pham’s time in New York is over, and he’ll be launched if he is not claimed. A brand new staff may then signal Pham to a contract and solely owe him a minimal wage, which is subtracted from the Mets’ $2.25MM determine.
Pham and Slater are each right-handed hitting outfielders, and Slater has extra of a popularity as a lefty-masher despite the fact that his numbers in opposition to southpaws have been common to mediocre over the past three seasons. Pham has additionally not been notably productive since 2023 (a season that included his first stint with the Mets), as he hit .246/.317/.369 over 927 PA with the White Sox, Cardinals, Royals, and Pirates in 2024-25.
With 10 completely different groups on his massive league resume, Pham may properly land with staff #11 in comparatively quick order, or maybe revisit one other of his former organizations. Slater spent his complete Major League profession with the Giants earlier than the staff dealt him to the Reds in July 2024, and Slater has since additionally develop into a journeyman who has now performed for six completely different golf equipment on the MLB stage.
Slater ought to slide proper into Pham’s position because the complement to the left-handed hitting Carson Bengewho has but to get occurring the plate in his rookie season. Benge’s struggles are only one drop within the bucket of calamity that has been the 2026 Mets’ season, because the staff has sunk to a 9-19 report (tied with the Phillies for the worst in baseball) after being swept by Colorado in at present’s doubleheader.
