The New York Mets and veteran pitcher Julio Teheran are reportedly in agreement on a contract, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. It will reportedly be a major league deal, according to Andy Martino of SNY. Teheran, a former Atlanta Braves All-Star, could play an important role for the Mets in 2024.
Teheran most recently pitched for the Baltimore Orioles in spring training after signing a minor league contract. He opted out of the deal after failing to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster, however. Now, Teheran will look to bounce back in New York with a team he pitched against for many years.
Teheran was a star with Braves
Teheran made his MLB debut in 2011 with the Braves. His official rookie season was not until 2013, though. He pitched to a stellar 3.20 ERA during the '13 campaign, ultimately finishing fifth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.
Teheran was even better in 2014 across 221 innings pitched. The Braves right-hander recorded a 2.89 ERA and career-high 186 strikeouts en route to his first All-Star selection.
Teheran led the league in starts with 33 in 2015, but finished with a 4.04 ERA. His performance declined but he still had a fairly respectable campaign overall.
In 2016, however, Teheran bounced back. He pitched to the tune of a 3.21 ERA and was selected to another All-Star team.
Teheran would remain in Atlanta through the 2019 season. The Mets certainly took notice of Teheran during his time with the Braves, as the rivals often went head-to-head. Teheran was one of MLB's most durable pitchers with Atlanta as well, as he made at least 30 starts in each season from 2013-2019.
2020 saw Teheran joined the Los Angeles Angels. He made nine starts and pitched in 10 total games, but the results were disastrous. Teheran finished his first, and ultimately final season in Anaheim with a 10.05 ERA over 31.1 innings pitched.
He signed with the Detroit Tigers for the 2021 campaign. He was limited to just one MLB outing with Detroit, though, as he battled injuries.
Teheran spent 2022 pitching in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball and the Mexican Baseball League. In 2023, the Milwaukee Brewers gave Teheran another chance at the big league level. The former All-Star made 11 starts (14 appearances) for Milwaukee and recorded a mediocre 4.40 ERA.
Can Julio Teheran help Mets rotation amid Kodai Senga's injury?
Mets ace Kodai Senga is battling an injury. He recently received a positive update (via Danny Abriano of SNY) but New York is still searching for further pitching depth.
New York's current rotation features a number of veterans such as Jose Quintana, who started Opening Day, as well as Luis Severino and Sean Manaea.
Injuries have been problematic already for New York. In addition to Senga, Tylor Megill and and David Peterson are also on the injured list.
Signing Teheran is a low-risk move with potential. He obviously knows a thing or two about pitching in the National League East. At 33 years old, Teheran may not be the same All-Star pitcher he once was. Nevertheless, there is a chance that Teheran can play an impactful role in the Mets pitching staff.
This is a move that could pay dividends down the road. New York currently holds an 0-4 record, so they can use all the help they can get. A slow start isn't the end of the world, but the Mets need to get things going sooner rather than later.
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