The New York Mets added some interesting pitching depth via free agency this weekend.
They've signed a right-handed pitcher named Daniel Duarte to a contract.
The signing was reported on MLB.com's transactions page, with it noted first by MLB Trade Rumors.
Duarte didn't pitch at all in 2025 in the Minnesota Twins organization as he recovered from 2024 Tommy John surgery.
He has thrown 38.1 innings in his MLB career, mostly with the Cincinnati Reds in 2023.
In that small sample size, Duarte has a 3.99 ERA as a groundball pitcher.
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Duarte did help his cause by getting back on the mound in the Mexican Winter League, where he has thrown 19.2 scoreless innings.
He's 29 years old, so there's still time for him to make a solid impact at the MLB level if Duarte's stuff has hung in there as he recovered from elbow surgery.
The Mets seem likely to start Duarte at Triple-A Syracuse, but they often need extra arms, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him spend at least a portion of the 2026 season in Queens, too.
It's a good opportunity for Duarte to show he still belongs at the upper levels of baseball after dealing with the serious injury. He'll arrive at spring training looking to prove himself.
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