NEW YORK -- The Mets lost a promising young pitcher on Thursday when the Cubs claimed lefty reliever Jack Leathersich off waivers. The Mets had exposed him to waivers in an attempt to remove him from their 40-man roster in advance of Friday, the deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft.
"I wanna thank the Mets organization and the fans for the past few years. I will always be thankful for the opportunity they gave me!!" Leathersich wrote on Twitter. "I am beyond excited to be joining the Cubs organization. Can't wait to be a part of this historic franchise!