A little less than one year ago, the Mets did something that was both smart and a rare occurrence in franchise history, signing the then-injured John Curtiss to a one-year deal with a team option for a second year. Curtiss never stood much of a chance of pitching in the first year of the contract, as he had undergone Tommy John surgery in September of 2021. But by signing him, the Mets were able to aide in his recovery and—more importantly from the team’s perspective—have a pretty good reliever lined up for their 2023 roster.
Set to turn 30 in early April, the right-handed Curtiss broke into the big leagues with the Twins in 2017 but got just 15.