The New York Mets have been busy as of late. The team made its first big move of the offseason when it signed star relief pitcher Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract in free agency, and it seems like that could be just the tip of the iceberg. On Friday, the team added another relief pitcher to the fold in a unique move.
Earlier this week, the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates pulled off a big five-player trade that was highlighted by Johan Oviedo and Jhostynxon Garcia. In order to make room for Oviedo on the 40-man roster, the Sox waived Cooper Criswell, who they had just re-signed earlier this offseason. The hope was that his new deal would prevent a team from claiming him on waivers, but the Mets managed to foil the team’s plans.
Mets Claim Cooper Criswell on Waivers
After breaking into the majors with the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays, Criswell spent the past two seasons with Boston, and he turned himself into a gadget pitcher. In 2024, Criswell appeared in 26 games, 18 of which were starts, posting a 4.08 ERA and 73 strikeouts over 99.1 innings of work. Last season, though, Criswell was used much less frequently, as he appeared in just seven games, only one of which was a start.
Criswell posted a 3.57 ERA during his limited time in the majors last season, and he was a solid depth option the Sox could turn to when they need a pitcher to come and fill in for them in a pinch. Earlier in this offseason, Boston re-signed Criswell to a one-year, $800,000 contract, with the hope being that if they had to waive him, teams would be deterred by his contract and his limited minor league options.
New York was not particularly worried about those concerns surrounding Criswell, though. Just days after signing Williams, the Mets claimed Criswell on waivers, indicating that they intend to use him in their new-look bullpen when they return to action in 2026. And with Edwin Diaz still up for grabs, this team may not be done fine-tuning its bullpen.
“The New York Mets claimed right-hander Cooper Criswell off waivers from the Boston Red Sox on Friday, less than a day after he was designated for assignment,” Jorge Castillo of ESPN reported.
Mets Continue to Be Linked to Several Big Free Agent Targets
GettyPete Alonso of the New York Mets
With Diaz and Pete Alonso both hitting the open market, the Mets could potentially lose two of their top players from the 2025 campaign in free agency. The front office is working on hammering out deals for both guys, but even beyond that, they have continued to be linked to some of the top targets available.
With New York fresh off a disappointing season, you can bet it’s going to be active in an effort to bounce back and make another deep run in 2026. Criswell isn’t necessarily the flashiest addition, but he could end up playing a major role in the bullpen this season if things go according to plan. The Mets appear to be just getting started when it comes to their offseason work, and it will be interesting to see what their next move ends up being.
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