Nate

Lavender

Williams heads to the shelf after registering a disappointing 4.66 ERA, 1.66 WHIP and 51/21 K/BB ratio across 38 2/3 innings. The 31-year-old has converted just 16 of his 19 save chances this season. A quick glance under the hood reveals a more palatable 3.29 xERA and a bloated .388 BABIP, but his Mets debut has been an unmitigated disaster. His absence thrusts New York into a closer by committee situation with Kodai Senga and Daniel Duarte as the most likely candidates to inherit save opportunities, with rookie lefty Nate Lavender representing a dark horse for the role.

Lavender gets his chance with New York after their teardown at the trade deadline earlier this week. The 26-year-old lefty has posted a respectable 3.77 ERA and 70/16 K/BB ratio across 43 innings in the minors this season.

Lavender missed the 2025 season while recovering from an internal brace procedure. He has thrown just seven innings since 2023, and will look to get back on the horse in (likely) Syracuse or Binghamton.

Lavender was the Rays’ Rule 5 draft pick and missed 2025 while recovering from an internal brace procedure. He’ll provide some depth — assuming good health — for the Mets’ minor-league staff to open 2026.

There simply isn’t any room for Misner and Seymour with Tampa Bay’s crowded positional mix moving forward, but they should generate some interest on waivers in the coming days. Misner offers some appeal as a righty-mashing platoon specialist while Seymour makes sense as a bench bat.

Lavender underwent an internal brace procedure back in May while a member of the Mets, and the eighth pick of the 2024 Rule 5 draft will be stashed on the injured list for at least the first two months of the 2025 campaign.

Lavender will likely be able to be stashed on the 60-day injured list, as he underwent an internal brace procedure back in May. Once healthy, the 24-year-old has a shot at helping the Rays’ bullpen, and he could even develop into a starter.

The surgical procedure is basically a less-invasive elbow surgery that carries a faster return timetable than Tommy John ligament replacement. Lavender will miss the remainder of the 2024 campaign, but figures to be ready to return at some point early next year. The 24-year-old righty has posted excellent numbers in the minors and is regarded as one of the top relief prospects in New York’s system.