NEW YORK (AP) — Pitchers Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers and outfielder Cedric Mullins jumped into a pennant race Friday when they joined the National League-East leading New York Mets in search of the franchise’s first championship since 1986.
“Everybody’s very excited — they’re matching my excitement to be here,” Rogers said before the Mets opened a three-game series against San Francisco.
The Giants traded Rogers to New York for José Buttó and a pair of prospects Wednesday.
The Mets, who fell to the eventual World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in last year’s NLCS, entered Friday with a half-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies.
“From looking across the dugout a week ago, this is a team where you’re like, man, this team is the complete package,” Rogers said as the teams met for the second straight weekend. “So I’m very excited to be a part of it. Whatever they need from me, hopefully I can give it to them.”
Helsley, who had 21 saves for the St. Louis Cardinals before being acquired for a trio of prospects Wednesday, and Rogers, a side-armer whose 392 appearances since 2019 are tied for the fourth-most in the majors, are expected to fortify a bullpen that was beginning to show vulnerability ahead of All-Star closer Edwin Díaz.
“At first I was kind of surprised, honestly, having Díaz here,” Helsley said. “But in the playoffs, you’ll take as many good arms as you can get.”
Helsley said he was looking forward to serving as a set-up man for the Mets, whose bullpen ERA of 3.80 ranks 11th in the majors. New York made 36 transactions last month involving 18 relievers, including left-hander Gregory Soto, who was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles on July 25.
“If I need to throw the sixth, seventh, eighth — whenever it’s going to be, I’m glad to do so,” Helsley said.
Mullins, who was acquired from the Orioles on Thursday for three pitching prospects, didn’t start Friday’s game after arriving at Citi Field less than three hours before first pitch. He is expected to become the starter in center field, where the slumping Tyrone Taylor and converted infielder Jeff McNeil have been splitting time while Jose Siri recovers from a broken leg.
Mullins, who won the Silver Slugger with the Orioles after going 30/30 in 2021, robbed the Toronto Blue Jays of a pair of homers during his final series with Baltimore earlier this week.
“I’m just trying to be myself and bring the type of game I know I can bring,” Mullins said. “Bunch of different stuff — using my legs, running, stealing bases, playing solid defense, showing a little bit of power here and there, bunts. Just a little bit of everything.”
The trades were the first as professionals for Helsley, Rogers and Mullins.
“It’s pretty crazy,” Helsley said. “I probably equate it to like the first day of school … where everything’s so new.”
Rogers and Buttó, who signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2017, are likely to make their debuts this weekend for their new clubs against their old ones. Both players flew to New York with their former teams.
“Baseball’s funny that way, isn’t it?” said Rogers, who was traded the same day his twin, Taylor, was sent from the Cincinnati Reds to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Taylor Rogers was dealt to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.
“Being traded is new and then to go out there and pitch for a new team for the first time ever is going to be weird. And then to look up and see the Giants uniform in the batter’s box is going to be something.”
New York aired a tribute video to Butto before the first pitch of Friday’s game.
“I was talking to José today, I said the timing of this might not be the greatest thing in the world,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “But I think a day removed from it, I think he understands it’s a business as well and he knows he’s going to get a very good opportunity here.”
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