Brandon Drury and Stephen Tarpley could both be back in New York in 2021.
The Mets announced that they have claimed Tarpley off waivers from the Miami Marlins, and as reported by MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal and confirmed by the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, the Mets have signed Drury to a minor-league contract.
Tarpley, 27, was designated for assignment by Miami earlier this week. He appeared in 12 games for the Marlins last season, going 2-2 with one save and a 9.00 ERA (11 earned runs/11.0 innings) with eight walks and 11 strikeouts.
The southpaw was one of two players acquired by the Yankees from Pittsburgh for RHP Ivan Nova at the 2016 trade deadline, and made his MLB debut in 2018. In parts of two seasons in the Bronx, he had a 5.88 ERA in 33 2/3 innings.
Drury, 28, was a Yankee for half of the 2018 season, acquired from Arizona in spring training. He played just 18 games, however, while dealing with vision issues, and hit .176 before being supplanted at third base by Miguel Andujar and eventually being dealt to Toronto as part of the package for J.A. Happ.
He played eight games in Toronto that year and also spent 2019 and 2020 with the Jays, hitting .208 in 149 games overall before being designated for assignment in September.
For his career, Drury is a .296 hitter in parts of six seasons with the D-Backs, Yankees, and Jays, and has played all four infield spots and both corner outfield positions at the MLB level in his career.
Of course, the minor-league addition comes one day after the Mets’ blockbuster addition of Francisco Lindor, so Drury’s signing gives the Mets some depth to replace both Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez, who were sent to Cleveland in that deal.
Drury also has a connection to new Mets GM Jared Porter, as Porter’s first year as an assistant GM in Arizona (2017) was Drury’s last season there.
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