With the shuffling that’s been going on in rotations of the upper level minor league teams, the Mets have made a move to try and fill some spots. According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, New York tried to trade the recently DFA’d Collin Cowgill to the Angels for Triple-A pitcher Matt Shoemaker, but Los Angeles rejected the proposal.

Instead, New York has signed 35-year-old pitcher, Giancarlo Alvarado to a minor league contract. Alvarado, who was most recently pitching in the Mexican League, is 0-2 with a 4.03 ERA in eight games this season (seven starts). He’s thrown 38 innings, allowing 39 hits, 19 walks, and 29 strikeouts with Saraperoes de Saltillo.

I don’t see this move as being anything more than a roster filler for Las Vegas at this point. Zack Wheeler and Carlos Torres have been promoted to the big leagues, while Collin McHugh was recently traded to the Colorado Rockies in exchange for Eric Young, Jr. That’s three-fifths of their original rotation, and Wally Backman sure could use some extra arms in the 51s clubhouse