The Mets signed left-hander Génesis Cabrera to a minor league deal with an invite to big league spring training, the team announced today. The 28-year-old fireballing southpaw is another flier for David Stearns as he attempts to fill out the 2025 bullpen.
Cabrera spent four seasons with the Cardinals before being traded to the Blue Jays in 2023. He had one of his best seasons from a run prevention perspective in 2024, posting a 3.59 ERA in 62 2⁄3 innings in Toronto and notching two saves. But his FIP was much higher at 5.13, mostly because despite his high-octane velocity, he doesn’t strike out many batters; he struck out just 7.18 batters per nine innings last year. His even bigger problem is command. He walked 4.16 batters per nine innings last season, which is consistent with what he has done his entire career.
Though Cabrera lights up the radar gun with his fastball, it is his least effective pitch in his five-pitch repertoire and it is likely the Mets’ front office sees some adjustments to his pitch mix that could make him more effective. The only left-handed reliever currently on the roster is Danny Young and so the Mets are in desperate need of a southpaw or two to put in the mix, but it’s worth noting that Cabrera has been equally effective against righties and lefties in his career.
If you’re thinking, “Hm, that name sounds familiar” without really remembering why, it’s because Génesis Cabrera hit J.D. Davis with a pitch in 2022, spurring Yoan López to retaliate, which incited a benches-clearing brawl. All is forgiven now, though, I suppose. Welcome to Queens, Génesis. Oh, how the turntables.
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