CINCINNATI -- In the end, the Mets managed to turn Matt Harvey into a patch for the most significant hole on their roster. The team on Tuesday traded Harvey to the Reds for catcher Devin Mesoraco, a former top prospect who has played in just 90 games the past three seasons due to injuries, and cash. Healthy this season, Mesoraco was hitting .220 with one home run in 18 games for the Reds, who sent him on a short walk to the visiting clubhouse about an hour before game time at Great American Ball Park."I don't think we're surprised. I think we're fortunate that it happened to work out the way it did," said J.P. Ricciardi, Mets special assistant to the general manager. "To be able to address one of our needs was something we were looking to do. Being able to do it, we were pretty happy about that."
In New York, Mesoraco gives the Mets a measure of catching depth with their top two backstops, Travis d'Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki, both injured. d'Arnaud, who underwent Tommy John surgery last month, is out for the season. Plawecki, who has been slow to recover from a fractured bone in his left hand, is still several weeks away from a return."It's just another quality guy to bring into the clubhouse, and help us at a position that we've been struggling a little bit with since the injuries," Ricciardi said.Enter Mesoraco, who hit .273 with 25 home runs and an .893 OPS during his best year with the Reds in 2014. Overall in eight seasons, Mesoraco is a .234 hitter with a .715 OPS. He is making $13.1 million this season, which is why the Reds also sent cash to offset the difference in salaries. Harvey is making $5.6 million.To clear roster space for him, the Mets placed third baseman Todd Frazier on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain, and shifted reliever Anthony Swarzak to the 60-day DL.The move finalizes the divorce between Harvey and the Mets, who designated the pitcher for assignment on Saturday. Harvey was 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA in eight games for the Mets, numbers that included a 10.50 mark in four appearances after the team sent him to the bullpen.
Anthony DiComo/MLB.com
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