Photo Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports the Mets have signed right-handed pitcher Rico Garcia to a minor league deal with an invite to major league spring training. The deal would pay Garcia a base salary of $900K if he makes the big leagues.

Garcia, 30, spent the 2024 season with the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings of the Nationals organization. In 55 relief appearances over 61 2/3 innings, the right-hander had a 3.94 ERA, allowed only 47 hits and struck out a whopping 89 batters. His 34.1 K% was fourth among 180 International League pitchers with at least 50 innings this year. Oddly enough, one of the hitters to do the most damage against Garcia this season was Mets minor league Brett Baty with two home runs.

The Hawaii native last pitched in the big leagues in 2023 with the A’s and the Nationals. He posted a 9.26 ERA over 11 1/3 innings. For his major league career, Garcia has a 7.32 ERA in 35 2/3 innings between five teams.

In his previous two big league stints, Garcia used a three-pitch mix of four-seamer, curve and changeup. This year, he added a cutter at 83-87 mph that he threw 132 times. He only gave up four hits all season on the new cutter and only one extra-base hit. The four-seamer is 94-97 mph with above-average spin.

Mets president of baseball ops David Stearns continues his early offseason trend of adding bullpen arms, having already signed RHP Chris Devenski to a minor league deal, RHP Dylan Covey to a major league deal, and claiming RHP Kevin Herget off waivers.