The New York Mets have signed veteran right-handed reliever Zach Pop to a major league contract, as first reported by Robert Murray of FanSided. The move comes at a critical time for the Mets’ bullpen, which has been filled with injuries, including the recent placement of Dedniel Nunez on the injured list with an elbow strain that may require Tommy John surgery. To accommodate Pop on the 40-man roster, the Mets are expected to move Nunez to the 60-day IL.

Pop joins the Mets after a short stint with the Seattle Mariners, where he was designated for assignment following a challenging stretch. In four MLB appearances for Seattle this season, he gave up nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits and two walks over 5.1 innings, recording just three strikeouts and a 13.50 ERA. His swinging strike percentage was a concerning 7%, well below the league average.

Even though he has struggled, the 28-year-old has shown promise in the minor leagues. In 11 appearances with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate, Tacoma Rainiers, and the rookie-level ACL Mariners this season, he posted a 2-1 record with a 2.79 ERA, nine strikeouts, and one save across 9.2 innings.

Pop’s major league journey spans multiple teams. A native of Brampton, Ontario, he made his MLB debut with the Miami Marlins in 2021 after being selected in the Rule 5 Draft. That season, he made 50 appearances, going 1-0 with a 4.12 ERA and 51 strikeouts over 54.2 innings. In 2022, he recorded a 2-0 record with a 3.60 ERA in 18 games for the Marlins before being traded to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Pop made an immediate impact with the Blue Jays, posting a 2-0 record with a 1.89 ERA in 17 games down the stretch in 2022. However, he regressed in 2023, registering a 6.59 ERA in 15 appearances, and spent much of the 2024 season with Triple-A Buffalo, where he made 58 appearances, going 2-4 with a 5.59 ERA and recording 33 strikeouts and one save over 48.1 innings.

Originally drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh round of the 2017 MLB Draft, Pop was later traded to the Baltimore Orioles as part of the deal that sent Manny Machado to the Dodgers. He posted a 1.53 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 44 appearances across three levels in 2018 before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019.

In his MLB career to date, Zach Pop owns a 4.75 ERA across parts of five seasons. While he doesn’t miss many bats, he has relied on a heavy ground-ball profile, including a 55% ground-ball rate in 2023.

Pop is expected to serve in a low-leverage relief role for the Mets as he looks to stabilize a bullpen in need of reinforcements.

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