The Mets’ offseason quest to rebuild their bullpen has commenced, as MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reported on Wednesday afternoon that the team agreed to a minor league deal with sidearm left-hander Joe Jacques.
The deal reportedly includes an invitation to major league spring training camp, and will be worth $800,000 if Jacques makes the roster.
A New Jersey native, Jacques was originally drafted out of Manhattan University by the Pirates in the 33rd round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Jacques made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 2023 and received brief stints with Boston and Arizona the following season, struggling to the tune of a 5.46 ERA across his 29.2 innings pitched at the major league level. Jacques spent the 2025 season in Triple-A, and was traded from the Dodgers to the Mariners (a pair of teams that may face off in the Fall Classic next week) for right-handed reliever Will Klein on June 2.
The Mets’ interest in Jacques may be propelled by his unusual arm angle, which measured at ten degrees from the left-handed side in 2024. David Stearns has previously demonstrated his valuing of varied arm slots out of the bullpen, including acquiring a trio of relievers who span the angular extremes in Gregory Soto, Ryan Helsley, and Tyler Rogers at this year’s trade deadline.
Jacques has also demonstrated an ability to keep the ball out of the air. In a relatively small sample size of 26.2 IP in 2023, Jacques recorded a 64.0% ground ball rate, ranking sixth among pitchers with at least 100 batters faced that season behind elite relievers like Jhoan Duran, Brusdar Graterol, and new teammate Clay Holmes.
The Mets’ bullpen is currently in a state of flux as their trio of deadline rentals depart and a decision looms on Edwin Diaz’s opt-out clause. Outside of Díaz and Huascar Brazobán, Brooks Raley has a team option for $4.75 million for 2025 and the Mets have a number of pitchers are recovering from various ailments who may play a role in the 2026 bullpen, including AJ Minter, Max Kranick, Dedniel Núñez, and Drew Smith. Reed Garrett will miss all of 2026 with Tommy John Surgery. Aside from Díaz, Raley, Minter, and possibly Brazobán, any of the above named players could potentially be non-tendered and would not be totally shocking. For a team that needed to ask for 636.0 IP from its relief corps in 2025 — the third-highest mark in baseball — reinforcing the bullpen will undoubtedly continue to be a major priority this offseason.
