The New York Mets selected Jack Weisenburger to their major league roster on Sunday, giving the right-hander a shot at his Major League debut while Xzavion Curry was sent back to Triple-A Syracuse.
The move came a day after the Mets were beaten 9-0 by the Pittsburgh Pirates, the kind of game that can force a quick bullpen reset. Weisenburger had spent the season with Triple-A Syracuse, where he worked mainly in relief and posted a 7.22 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP with 46 strikeouts across 52.1 innings.
Curry's demotion is what makes the decision stand out. He had just given the Mets three scoreless innings in relief against Pittsburgh, striking out four and allowing one hit on 55 pitches, yet the club still chose to make room for Weisenburger. On pure recent performance, Curry looked like the safer arm to keep. On roster math, the Mets needed another pitcher, and he was the one they could option.
That is the shape of the move on a day when the Mets entered at 51-67 and fifth in the National League East, still managing a pitching staff thinned by injuries with Kodai Senga on the injured list recovering from a shoulder capsule injury. Curry owns a 2.81 ERA with 10 strikeouts and a 1.31 WHIP across 16 major league innings this season, which underlines how little margin the Mets have when they are trying to patch innings on the fly.
What happens next is simple and uncertain at the same time: Weisenburger is now in the majors, but it is not yet confirmed whether he will get into a game or make his debut. For a pitcher who spent the season in Triple-A Syracuse, the call-up is the opening he has been working toward, and the next inning will decide how long it lasts.
