New York Mets fans are anxiously awaiting a seismic shift in Queens as MLB free agency rolls on without the organization securing a premium talent as of yet. In the meanwhile, new president of baseball operations David Stearns continues to make minor additions to his pitching staff.

“The White Sox have traded pitcher Yohan Ramirez to the Mets in exchange for cash considerations,” according to the Chicago Tribune's LaMond Pope. “Ramirez was designated for assignment on Wednesday.”

This bit of news is not exactly equal to Yoshinobu Yamamoto having dinner at owner Steve Cohen's house, but it does show that New York is prioritizing pitching depth- particularly in the bullpen. The right-handed reliever has a 3.99 career ERA and 6-4 record in 102 MLB appearances, serving stints with the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Guardians and Pittsburgh Pirates before he landed in Chicago.

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Ramirez had a 4.23 ERA in 38.1 innings pitched in 2023 between the White Sox and the Pirates. He has walked five batters per nine innings in his career, so control has been his biggest issue.

Stearns' first offseason heading up the Orange and Blue will be judged largely based on his ability to sign a high-profile free agent, but a majority of these smaller acquisitions and signings must also work out. He is coming to the Big Apple with the reputation of maximizing cost and efficiency in a small market. Hence, the expectation is that Stearns can thrive even more with the ample resources a major-market franchise offers.

Although Yohan Ramirez may sound more like a Milwaukee Brewers' type of addition than one Cohen and the MLB payroll-leading Mets would pursue, fans might be wise to let things play out a bit longer before giving out their report cards.