Mets release infielder Andy Ibáñez

The Mets released Andy Ibáñez this week, ending a stint that never really got going in Queens. It's the kind of transaction that barely moves the needle on a random August afternoon, but it's worth a look at how he got here and what it says about the state of New York's bench.

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New York claimed Ibáñez off waivers from the Athletics back in late April, then turned around and passed him through waivers himself a few weeks later, which sent him down to Triple-A Syracuse for the bulk of the summer. Between his time with Oakland and New York this year, he managed just 26 plate appearances at the big-league level, hitting 2-for-23 with a walk, a pair of sacrifice flies and 3 strikeouts. That's not the kind of sample that keeps a 33-year-old infielder on a big-league roster in a pennant race.

It wasn't a lack of production in the minors that did him in. At Syracuse, Ibáñez slashed.269/.295/.429 with 5 homers across 157 plate appearances, solid but unspectacular numbers for a veteran depth piece. The Mets simply didn't have a path to get him consistent big-league at-bats, and with the roster crunch that comes every August, that's usually enough to get a guy cut loose.

Ibáñez's path to this point has been a long one. He defected from Cuba in 2014, signed with the Rangers for a $1.6 million bonus and finally debuted in the majors with Texas in 2021 at age 28. He bounced to Detroit via waivers, carved out a utility role there for a couple of seasons, then landed with Oakland and eventually the Mets earlier this year. It's the resume of a grinder who's kept finding his way back to a roster spot somewhere.

For the Mets, this is more roster management than news. It clears a 40-man spot as they navigate the stretch run, and it probably won't be the last move like it before the calendar flips to September. For Ibáñez, the hope now is that some contender looking for veteran infield depth gives him another shot before the year's out.