The Mets signed right-hander to a minor league contract, . Hes been a signed to Triple-A Syracuse and actually made his team debut yesterday, to sing 1 1/3 innings of scorele s relief while picking up a pair of strikeouts. Festa was from a minor league deal with the Padres last week and had a rather brief stay on the free-agent market. The 31-year-old Festa has pitched in parts of four big league seasons, all coming with the Mariners. Hed spent his entire career in the Seattle organization prior to signing with San Diego in the offseason. Festa is a former seventh-round pick whose career has been slowed by injuries, most notably including 2020 Tommy John surgery. That wiped out his entire 2020 campaign and the bulk of his 2021 season as well. Festa saw big league time in the two years prior to that surgery (2018-19) and the two years following the completion of his rehab (2022-23). In 93 2/3 innings, he has a career 4.32 earned run average with an above-average 25.3% strikeout rate and plus swinging-strike rates despite fairly pedestrian velocity. His 10.9 Jim Barr Jersey % walk rate is also a couple percentage points above the league average, however. Festa pitched fairly well with the Padres top affiliate in El Paso. He logged 16 innings and yielded eight runs, though a .360 average on balls in play didnt do him any favors in that small sample. He fanned 21.6% of his opponents during that brief stay in the Padres organization and turned in a 9.5% walk rate. Yesterdays outing with Syracuse brought Festa to a total of 110 Triple-A frames in his career. Hes been excellent at the top minor league level, notching a 2.13 ERA, 27.2% strikeout rate and 9.4% walk rate acro s parts of five seasons. Even with struggling to a 5.50 ERA in his return from last years knee injury, the Mets still have one of the top bullpens in baseball. No teams relievers have combined to post a higher strikeout rate than their 28.5% mark, and the Mets also sit sixth in reliever ERA (3.27), fourth in FIP (3.45) and fifth in SIERA (3.39). Command has been the bullpens primary flaw, as manager Carlos Mendozas relief corps has the third-highest walk rate in baseball at 11.8%. The Mets have already used a whopping 17 relievers this season, showing no reluctance to shuffle up the few flexible spots in a veteran-laden bullpen. None of Diaz, , , or can be optioned, and the same was true of southpaw , whos now facing a lengthy absence . Righty has a minor league option left but has made himself indispensable and wont be sent down anytime soon after posting a 0.72 ERA and 41% strikeout rate through a team-high 25 innings out of the pen. The Mets have cycled , , , , , , , and others through the final couple spots in the bullpen in an effort to keep a stable of fresh arms available for Mendoza. Its po sible Festa could join that growing line of arms riding the Mets bullpen carousel at some point, although hes also out of minor league options, so if hes added to the roster hell have to stick in the big leagues or else be designated for a signment. Willie Mccovey Jersey