Mets Promote Veteran Slugger, DFA Recently Added Infielder

The New York Mets made significant moves to their roster on Monday, promoting veteran slugger Christopher Morel and designating infielder Gabriel Arias for assignment. Morel, who showed potential when he hit 16 home runs and stole 10 bases as a rookie for the Chicago Cubs in 2022, has since struggled to recapture that form. He finished the 2024 season with a .196 batting average and was DFA'd by the Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins before signing a minor league contract with the Mets last month.

Since then, Morel has been a consistent threat at the plate, batting .321/.382/.716 with 12 home runs in 31 games at Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets could use Morel's power to fill the short end of a platoon with left-handed hitter Jared Young. Meanwhile, Arias, a 26-year-old infielder claimed off waivers from the Cleveland Guardians on August 7, struggled to make an impact in his brief time with the team, going 0-for-5 with a strikeout in two games.

His season OPS of .645 does not bode well for his continued presence on the Mets' roster. Despite these changes, the Mets have shown improvement, winning nine of their last 12 games, but they remain 11 games behind the National League wild-card spot following their sweep of the Washington Nationals.