Overview
- The Mets claimed catcher-utility Shawn Ross off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday and designated right-hander Joey Gerber for assignment to open a spot on their 40-man roster.
- Ross, 26, made his major-league debut in late July and recorded a two-run home run for his first big-league hit; he has played catcher, corner infield, middle infield and outfield in the minors and shows power with very high strikeout totals.
- Gerber has a 4.32 ERA in 8 1/3 MLB innings this season, was optioned to Triple-A about a month ago and was placed on the Triple-A injured list earlier this week, a status that may deter other teams from claiming him.
- Because Gerber lacks the service time to reject an outright assignment, the Mets likely expect him to clear waivers and remain in the organization if he is outrighted.
- This transaction reflects routine late-season roster management: it adds positional depth for New York while using a procedural DFA to manage the 40-man limit and minimize the chance of losing a low-service-time reliever.