Alex Torres has Mets his future…
The New York Mets have acquired the 27-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher from the San Diego Padres.
In exchange for Torres, the Mets will send minor league right-hander Cory Mazzoni and a player to be named head to San Diego.
Torres, a left-hander, went 2-1 with a 3.33 ERA in 70 relief appearances last season. He has averaged 5.5 walks per nine innings during his MLB career.
Mets general manager Sandy Alderson said Torres will more often be used for full innings.
“What was something of a glaring weakness I think now becomes — could become — a strength,” Alderson said.
Alderson estimated the Mets spoke with six or seven teams about acquiring left-handed relief pitching in recent days.
Torres became the first player in Major League Baseball to wear an isoBlox protective cap last season and said he was motivated to do so from watching former Tampa Bay Rays teammate Alex Cobb suffer a slight concussion after being hit by a line drive in a game in 2013.
Torres will make $522,900. He is not eligible for arbitration until after the 2016 season and is under the Mets’ control for five full seasons.