Less than 12 hours after the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Curtis Granderson in a trade with the Mets, the Chicago Cubs claimed one of Granderson’s former teammates, Rene Rivera, off waivers before Saturday’s game at Citi Field.
In two seasons with the Mets, Rivera had significant value as a reserve. Known for his defensive acumen, he became the preferred catcher for Noah Syndergaard. Rivera hit .226 with 14 home runs in 199 games with the Mets.
Like Granderson, Rivera, 34, will join one of the National League’s division leaders. The two players became the latest notable veterans the Mets have given up in recent weeks — after Jay Bruce, Neil Walker, Lucas Duda and Addison Reed — as the club began moving on from a disappointing season and setting its sights on next year.