The rivalry between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves figures to be intense in 2025. While the Braves made the playoffs last year, the Mets took it a couple steps further, reaching the National League Championship Series. It preceded an offseason where the two teams took different approaches with the Mets spending big to land Juan Soto and A.J. Minter while the Braves’ biggest signing was Jurickson Profar.
The deep history between the two teams is prevalent again with both teams expected to compete in the National League East again this season. While the Mets have already made a few moves due to a rash of injuries during Spring Training, they took it another step further by signing a pitcher that already has some bad blood with Atlanta.
Mets Sign Braves Rival Jose Urena to NRI Deal
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Mets have signed Josè Ureña to a non-roster invite deal. The contract also is worth $2 million if Ureña reaches the majors coming out of Spring Training.
Jose Urena to Mets. Non-roster invite. In Majors $2M plus $750K PB’s
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 27, 2025
Ureña is a 10-year veteran the has spent time with the Miami Marlins, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, Chicago White Sox and Texas Rangers. But Braves fans may be most familiar with the righthander after an incident involving Ronald Acuña Jr. in 2018.
Acuña entered the Aug. 15 matchup against Ureña and the Marlins with a home run in five straight games. To avoid facing Acuña, Ureña hit Acuña with the first pitch in the bottom of the first inning. The benches cleared twice, Ureña was ejected and hit with a six-game suspension in the aftermath of the incident.
Getting plunked didn’t slow Acuña down as he hit .293/.366/.552 with 26 home runs, 64 RBI and 16 stolen bases on his way to winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award. Ureña didn’t see the same success after going 9-12 with a 3.98 ERA in 2018, posting an 11-36 record with a 5.50 ERA in 86 appearances (63 starts) from 2019 to 2023.
Ureña found some success with the Rangers last season, going 5-8 with a 3.80 ERA, but he’ll be counted on to help the Mets get through several injuries to their starting rotation this spring. Sean Manaea (rib cage) and Frankie Montas (shoulder) have already banged up to start camp and Ureña has an outside shot to join the roster with Manaea expected to open the year on the 15-day injured list.
Ureña won’t have a major impact on the Mets season or the Braves plans to reclaim the National League East. But if he’s still on the roster during the first meeting on June 17, it could add an interesting subplot to what is already an intriguing rivalry.