Mets non-tender Grant Hartwig, Alex Young and Alex Ramirez at deadline

The Mets opted not to tender contracts to three players for 2025, the team announced Friday night after the deadline passed. Right-handed reliever Grant Hartwig, left-handed reliever Alex Young and outfielder Alex Ramirez will become free agents. The team also agreed to a one-year contract with right-handed reliever Sean-Reid Foley. Hartwig and Ramirez were once rising prospects in the system, but Ramirez struggled at high levels of the minor leagues and Hartwig missed most of 2024 with a knee injury.
The 26-year-old was a scouting success story for the Mets. An undrafted free agent out of Miami (Ohio), Hartwig planned to go to medical school before signing with the Mets. He reached his dream of pitching in the Major Leagues in 2023, posting a 4.84 ERA over 35 1/3 innings. Reid-Foley pitched well early in the season, but two shoulder impingements sidelined him for most of the year. He has an injury history, having had Tommy John surgery in 2022.
The Mets non-tendered him after the season, but he agreed to terms with the team as a free agent. In 23 appearances (21 2/3 innings), the 29-year-old posted a 1.66 ERA. Paul Blackburn could have been a non-tender candidate with his injury history and his poor performance with the Mets. After being traded from the Oakland A’s at the deadline, the right-hander went 1-2 with a 5.18 ERA over five starts. A comebacker off of his hand sidelined him in September and a cerebrospinal fluid leak in his back ended his season. Blackburn had a surgery in October that carries a timeline of 4-5 months, which means he may not be ready by spring training but he could be ready early in the season.
The Mets didn’t have to give up much for Blackburn, only trading pitching prospect Kade Morris to the A’s, and the team targeted him because of the year of team control left on his contract.
He provides valuable starting depth when healthy, and the Mets need all of the depth they can get with three members of the starting rotation all having become free agents. Siri was an easy choice as well, considering the Mets only traded for him earlier this week, sending minor league pitcher Eric Orze to the Tampa Bay Rays for the center fielder. Earlier in the day, the Mets announced three minor league signings, first baseman Joey Meneses, catcher Jakson Reetz and right-hander Hobie Harris. All will receive invitations to Major League spring training.