Mets’ Sudden Call on 34-Year-Old Arm Faces Pushback From Queens Faithful

In a city where nothing slips past the subway chatter, the New York Mets made a move that’s echoing every corner of Queens now. The team announced a flurry of roster moves just recently. But one decision in particular has raised some eyebrows—the DFA of veteran reliever Chris Devenski. The 34-year-old righty is suddenly out of the scene again, and not everyone is thrilled about it.

Let’s rewind a little. Devenski signed a minor league deal in the offseason, and since then, he has been quietly doing his job when called upon. His big league numbers have been solid: 11⅓ ⅓ innings with just three earned runs. He has gone back and forth between Syracuse and the Mets all year and has agreed to every assignment like a pro. But now, instead of another AAA, he has been DFA’d.

No warning, no real explanations, and fans are asking the obvious—why?

Because it’s not like the New York Mets were on a tight 40-man spot. So why move on from a dependable bullpen arm when the deadline is around the corner? And the team is eyeing pitching help anyways. Right now, it does feel like Devenski already saw the writing on the wall.

With the new arms coming in, whether it’s Rico Garcia off waivers or Justin Garza as backup, it’s possible he wanted out before he got buried under the depth chart. Plus, Marte, who was sidelined, is coming back. It may also be that the Mets are clearing space for getting bigger pieces during the trade deadline.

But of course, from a fan’s perspective, letting go of the steady veteran feels like an off-decision. And the Queens faithful are not letting this move slide under the rug without question.

New York Mets fans slam head-scratching roster move

“Devenski has been great, though,” one fan pointed out, baffled almost. The 34-year-old righty has been a bullpen asset. Devenski posted a 1.93 ERA and 0.75 WHIP across 9.1 innings. What’s even more impressive is his seven straight scoreless outings since late April, with just three hits and one walk in that span. And if you compare his sad 6.75 ERA last year in Tampa Bay, his journey with the New York Mets felt like a win. So, a guy finally turning around being DFA’d, of course, will leave fans baffled.

Shocked, another fan said, “Why Devinski, man?” The veteran reliever has been on a tear since April 30, when he gave up runs to Arizona. He has bounced back on his feet with shutout innings against the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals. His control has been elite, and he issued one walk during that stretch. Hitters have not squared him up either, and although he is not piling up strikeouts, he is still efficient and poised.

“Damn, Devenski is gone after one bad outing,” one fan exclaimed. On the surface, it is easy to question, but it might not be one bad outing. In 2023, he looked promising with the Angels and Rays. There, he logged a 4.46 ERA over 42 1/3 innings with good strikeout and walk numbers. But then things unraveled. The Rays got him back in 2024, only for Devenski to post a rough 6.75 ERA before being released in July. But while he hasn’t been lights out, he was on the way to being dominant.

The disbelief was evident in the comments. “Devenski? Come on, that makes no sense!” Just like that, he is in DFA limbo. The clock’s ticking, and other teams now have a short window to either claim him or trade for him. If no one bites, then he could stay or even test free agency. Sadly, though, this comes at a time when he did everything to be the team-first guy. Despite having the service time to reject all those minor league assignments, he took the high road and accepted them without a fuss. Yet it seems like loyalty hasn’t quite paid off—doesn’t it?

“We DFA’d Devenski for Rico Garcia???” cried a fan almost immediately after the New York Mets roster shuffle. Garcia, after all, is that well-travelled reliever who has been passed around like a hot potato between the New York Mets and Yankees. In just a few weeks, he has been DFA’d twice and claimed twice to be bouncing places. Meanwhile, Devenski, who has been steady, got axed. Sure, Garcia has given up only three earned runs in 7⅓ innings, but this move left many scratching their heads.

Are you as baffled by this decision, or was the writing on the wall for the New York Mets fans? Let us know in the comments.