It was exactly one week ago that I explained why the Mets might consider keeping Robert Stock around for the 2027 season:
“It takes guts to make it back to the majors after years away. It takes guts to perform under pressure with each outing potentially being the last of your career. And it takes good enough stuff and good enough command to show the glimpses of success that Stock did in August and September.
Injuries will always strike. Severe underperformance is always possible. (The current Mets
brass should know those two principles better than anyone). If by May 2027, the Mets are already in emergency need of a spot starter or even a full-on rotation replacement, Stock is certainly a more attractive option than someone with zero command, zero experience, or zero ability to meet the moment.”
Well, on the seventh day, the baseball gods answered my prayers. On Friday afternoon, the Mets announced they had signed Stock to a one-year major league contract.
Once a member of the 2021 Mets, Stock spent three years away from the majors while playing in international leagues. The 36-year-old underwent thoracic outlet surgery last March, but leveraged a summer spot start opportunity into a two-month stint with the Mets, posting a 5.93 in 30.1 innings across eight appearances. His 3.92 FIP suggests poor batted-ball results, and a couple of egregious outings overshadow the fact that he allowed one or zero runs while pitching four or more innings in four of seven starts, including one against the American League champion Rays.
The right-hander offers another veteran presence at the back of a projected pitching staff brimming with young talent. Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and Zac Thornton all put their potential on display last season, with Jonah Tong waiting in the wings for another shot at the starting rotation. Sean Manaea will look to provide stability in the final year of his three-year contract. The Mets may also look to add outside reinforcements, even if that doesn’t mean signing two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.
Stock also has experience out of the bullpen, including in his breakout 2018 season with the Padres under current Mets manager Andy Green. Should the Mets’ rotation slots become occupied, Stock can slide into a multi-inning relief role, providing flexibility for Green in his first full year at the helm in Queens.
