The Rule V Draft

[smg58]

It wasn't that long ago that Vasil was highly regarded, so I'm more than a little surprised he was left unprotected. At the very least, I would have traded him before I just let him go. Yeah he struggled at AAA last year, but so did Brandon Sproat. And José Buttó had a 5.93 ERA at Syracuse in 2023. Don't assume he can't stick in the Rays' pen for a full season.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mets lose two in Rule 5 draft
In the Rule 5 Draft, the Mets lost right-hander Mike Vasil to the Philadelphia Phillies and left-hander Nate Lavender to the Tampa Bay Rays. In Triple A last season, Vasil had a 6.04 ERA in 134 innings (27 starts). The Rays can stash Lavender, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, on the 60-day injured list, provided they keep him on their 40-man roster until spring training.

“You never want to lose any player in a Rule 5 draft,” Stearns said. “We simultaneously wish them well and also hope to get them back.”

If Vasil (this year) and Lavender (next year upon his return) can’t stick on the major-league roster for their respective teams, they have to be offered back to the Mets.

If I'm reading this correctly, it sounds like Tampa Bay would have to keep Lavender on their roster throughout the 2026 season? (This is how I'm interpreting the "this year" for Vasil and "next year" for Lavender.)

[A Boy Named Seo]

Mets lose two in Rule 5 draft
In the Rule 5 Draft, the Mets lost right-hander Mike Vasil to the Philadelphia Phillies and left-hander Nate Lavender to the Tampa Bay Rays. In Triple A last season, Vasil had a 6.04 ERA in 134 innings (27 starts). The Rays can stash Lavender, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, on the 60-day injured list, provided they keep him on their 40-man roster until spring training.

“You never want to lose any player in a Rule 5 draft,” Stearns said. “We simultaneously wish them well and also hope to get them back.”

If Vasil (this year) and Lavender (next year upon his return) can’t stick on the major-league roster for their respective teams, they have to be offered back to the Mets.

If I'm reading this correctly, it sounds like Tampa Bay would have to keep Lavender on their roster throughout the 2026 season? (This is how I'm interpreting the "this year" for Vasil and "next year" for Lavender.)

The wording is confusing. I think next year still means ‘25 for Lavender. He had surgery in May of ‘24 and can probably pitch again sometime in the second half. So presumably the Rays can stash him on the IL until he’s healthy, then move him back to the 40-man if they have room this summer.

But I honestly don’t know.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah, I'd be pretty pissed if I was the Mets and the Rays got to keep the guy by stashing him on the IL all year.

[Bob Alpacadaca]

I remember the Mets lost a Rule 5 pitcher to the Red Sox a while back and the Sox kept him on the IL most of the season claiming he had “blisters” and the Mets started beefing about it. Can’t for the life of me remember the players name - which means he must not have panned out.

[Bob Alpacadaca]

Got it: Lenny DiNardo.

[Edgy MD]

Got it: Lenny DiNardo.

Those fuckers!