Mets sign veteran pitcher with Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer out

The New York Mets signed a veteran pitcher thanks to injuries to Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer. They need all the help they can get.

With Scherzer the latest big-name Met to get hurt, the Queens ball-club needs some reinforcements. That’ll come way on the minor leagues, of course, as New York has plenty of options.

Nonetheless, the Mets’ front office added a veteran right-handed pitcher to the minor-league system (for now) by way of Trevor Cahill.

Cahill is expected to report to Triple-A Syracuse to start, in hopes of ramping up his throwing program. He is coming off a rather severe injury. In his last major-league experience with the Pirates, Cahill was eventually placed on the 60-day injured list with a calf strain.

Mets sign Trevor Cahill: What it means

Signing Cahill doesn’t do much of anything for now. He could join the big-league club in due time, but as previously mentioned, the Mets have to build up his arm and then let him get a few starts in the minors.

The following, from MLB Trade Rumors, outlines Cahill’s recent struggles even before the injury with Pittsburgh:

"“Before the injury, Cahill made nine appearances (including eight starts) for the Bucs. He managed just a 6.57 ERA over 37 innings, striking out a below-average 19.3% of opposing hitters. The sinkerballer induced grounders at a typically robust 55.2% clip, though, and he’s been excellent at keeping the ball in the yard throughout his career.”"

Cahill has never thrown particularly hard. He’s had to reinvent himself as a pitcher, hoping to induce ground balls. One would expect him to greatly benefit from a team that knows how to shift well, and is in tune with their analytics department. We’ll see if New York can serve as a second act for his career.