The New York Mets have reclaimed left-handed reliever Richard Lovelady off waivers from the Washington Nationals, marking the fourth time they have acquired him in the past nine months. This move comes amid an injury to another pitcher on the roster. Lovelady now returns to the organization where he has previously pitched.
In Port St. Lucie, Florida, the Mets added Richard Lovelady to their 40-man roster on Saturday by claiming the left-handed pitcher off waivers from the Nationals. This transaction highlights the fluctuating status of Lovelady with the Mets over the last nine months.
Lovelady first joined the Mets as a free agent in June of last year. He spent just a few days with the team before being designated for assignment. Choosing free agency, he quickly re-signed with the Mets. Following the regular season, he became a free agent once more and returned on a split contract. Three months later, the Mets designated him for assignment again, at which point the Nationals claimed him off waivers. He stayed with Washington until they designated him for assignment earlier this week.
During his time with the Mets, Lovelady appeared in 10 innings, giving up seven earned runs. He performed better in Triple-A with Syracuse, posting a 2.08 ERA across 17 1/3 innings.
The roster spot opened up due to an injury to right-hander Justin Hagenman, who fractured a rib in his outing on March 5. Hagenman, part of the team's rotation depth, is expected to miss at least the first two months of the season and was set to start in Syracuse's rotation.
Manager Carlos Mendoza described the injury as significant, stating, “It’s a pretty significant injury,” and adding, “He’s going to be down for a while.”
Lovelady uses the nickname “Dickie” in casual settings but goes by Richard professionally.
