Mets Reclaim Rico Garcia From Yankees Amid Bullpen Shakeup

Right-handed reliever Rico Garcia has experienced a whirlwind month, bouncing between the New York Mets and Yankees multiple times through waiver claims. Originally claimed by the Mets and designated for assignment, Garcia was picked up by the Yankees during the All-Star break, but after a single poor outing, he was waived and reclaimed by the Mets. Garcia, a 31-year-old journeyman and Hawaii native, has provided valuable innings to the Mets bullpen, which has been dealing with injuries and heavy usage, including a key scoreless inning in a recent 3-2 win over the Angels. Despite a modest MLB career totaling 43 innings and multiple team changes, Garcia has shown resilience and adaptability, pitching effectively in limited opportunities this season. With no minor-league options left, Garcia has been added to the Mets' 26-man active roster and is expected to play a role in the bullpen, especially as the team looks to strengthen its relief pitching at the upcoming trade deadline. His ongoing movement highlights the Mets' reliance on waiver wire acquisitions to address bullpen challenges amid injuries and heavy workloads.