The New York Mets are once again shuffling the deck in their ever-rotating bullpen saga—and this latest round comes with a side of irony, frustration, and a now-viral nickname.
On Wednesday, the team officially announced the addition of right-hander Jonathan Pintaro to the active roster and the recall of lefty Brandon Waddell. But it came at a cost: both José Castillo and Richard Lovelady have been designated for assignment.
The Southpaw Shuffle Continues in Queens
For a team that opened the season with A.J. Minter and Danny Young holding down the lefty roles, it’s been a brutal stretch. Minter is out for the season after lat surgery. Young? Tommy John. So the Mets scrambled, bringing in Castillo via cash deal with Arizona and Lovelady on a major league deal just days ago.
Castillo, despite a solid 2.38 ERA over 11.1 innings with strong strikeout and ground ball rates, is now in DFA limbo. Why? It’s partly because the bullpen has been running on fumes. The Mets used all eight relievers over the past two days. Reed Garrett pitched back-to-back nights. Lovelady threw 24 pitches in one outing—his only one, as it turns out.
A Quick Exit for “Dicky” Lovelady
Lovelady’s stay in New York was about as short as a rain delay. After his promising Triple-A numbers with the Twins (1.31 ERA, 60% groundball rate), there was hope he could give the Mets a bit of relief help from the left side.
But in his one appearance? He gave up two runs in 1.2 innings, walking two and surrendering a hit. It was not the debut he needed—especially when the team’s bullpen is overworked and juggling out-of-options arms.
When the Mets introduced him as “Dicky Lovelady” on social media, fans had a field day. Turns out that’s what he goes by in casual circles, but officially? It’s Richard. Doesn’t change the fact that his New York chapter ended almost as quickly as it began.
Now What? Mets’ Lefty Depth Nears Empty
With both Castillo and Lovelady DFA’d, the Mets are effectively out of left-handed relievers—at least in any traditional sense. Waddell is technically a southpaw, but he’s more likely to eat innings than come in for high-leverage matchups. Brooks Raley, the team’s most reliable lefty last season, is still rehabbing from Tommy John.
The result? The Mets now find themselves in a precarious spot heading into July—with zero true left-handed bullpen threats and a front office that must be active before the trade deadline. Whether they search for another cast-off or pull off a minor deal, this roster isn’t sustainable as currently constructed.
As for Lovelady and Castillo, the DFA clock is ticking. The Mets have a few days to explore trades or risk losing both on waivers. It’s a tough business, especially when every appearance feels like an audition—and every decision comes with a fresh round of second-guessing.
