The Mets did not make any internal additions to the 40-man roster Tuesday but have added some outfield help, acquiring Jose Siri from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for RHP Eric Orze.
Siri, 29, was the Rays’ everyday center fielder in 2024, and while he slashed just .187/.255/.366 with 18 homers, 47 RBI, and 14 steals in 130 games, he was tops among AL outfielders with +16 Outs Above Average, was +12 in defensive runs saved, and had 99th percentile sprint speed at 29.9 MPH.
This will be Siri’s first of three arbitration-eligible seasons, and he was projected by MLB Trade Rumors for a $2.3 million salary in 2025.
His addition likely fills the hole left by the free agency departure of Harrison Bader, who became a late-game defensive replacement for Tyrone Taylor in the postseason. The have Taylor, Starling Marte, and Brandon Nimmo, as their nominal starting outfield, with Luisangel Acuna, Jeff McNeil, and
Orze, the Mets’ fifth-round pick in 2020, made his MLB debut this season, allowing four earned runs in 1 2/3 innings across two relief appearances. He spent most of the year at Triple-A Syracuse, going 6-1 with a 2.92 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings across 43 games.