It didn't come as a surprise when the Atlanta Braves designated right-handed pitcher Wander Suero for assignment on Tuesday. Having an ERA north of 11 is a good indicator that he wasn't getting the job done., which is why it's a surprise that Suero has found a new home with one of Atlanta's NL East rivals.
On Thursday, The Athletic's David O'Brien revealed that Suero has been claimed off waivers by the New York Mets, among other moves that were made. Although New York's bullpen has had its share of question marks, but it is hard to see Suero as a solution.
Former Braves RHP Wander Suero Finds Surprising New Home with Mets
Even with the Braves season-long struggles being more than evident, they still didn't have room for Suero. The Mets taking on the struggling reliever is a shock and shows that the NL East club is setting themselves up for more October frustration. As much as the Mets might need further bullpen stability, they should've learned from the Braves' mistakes.
Often when the Braves give up on a reliever, things have been truly dark when it comes to performance. The one notable exception was Craig Kimbrel, who was mistreated by an organization he elevated during his early years in the league. The best closer in franchise history was kicked to the curb after one road appearance this season, sending alarm bells ringing about where the team would be heading.
Since that time, the Braves have had an endless shuffle of potential fixes that predictably fail and end with a release or demotion. Suero is far from the first to walk this path and isn't likely to be the last with a little less than a month remaining in the season.
For Suero, this is an undeniable upgrade if the veteran can find a way to return to form and perform at a high enough level to earn a surprise spot on New York's roster in the long run.
The 2025 season continues to find new lows, and Suero is just another example of this in an endless stream of bad news in Atlanta. However, fans can enjoy the fact that the final stretch is here, and this tough season was exactly what was needed to wake up the Braves' front office.
Besides, fans can rest easy knowing that Suero will likely cost the Mets some meaningful games down the stretch. It's the small vcitories, right?