The Mets brought Justin Hagenman back from the 60-day IL on September 2, 2026, and are expected to hand him the start Wednesday against the Rays. The move clears the final opening on New York’s 40-man roster and sends Dylan Ross back to Triple-A.
For Hagenman, the return ends a wait that began in the spring, when a fractured rib sidelined him for more than four months. He started a rehab assignment midway through August, worked through three outings on the ramp-up and reached 64 pitches over four innings with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, enough to put him in line for a spot start.
The timing matters because Wednesday’s game arrives at a point when the Mets need innings without pressing the rest of the rotation too hard. A start from Hagenman should give the other starters two extra days off, a small but useful cushion as the club manages its workload around the calendar.
Still, this is not a full return to a normal starter’s workload. Hagenman is likely to be somewhat limited in the outing, which leaves the real question not whether he will take the ball but how far he can go once he does. That answer will shape what comes next for the Mets more than the roster move itself.
The 29-year-old signed a minor league deal heading into last season, spent most of that year with Syracuse and made his MLB debut in April. He also worked 23 2/3 innings over nine appearances in the majors last season and picked up his first MLB save in August by covering the final four innings of a blowout win over the Diamondbacks. For now, the Mets are counting on him for one start, and on Wednesday they will learn how much more he can give them.
