NEW YORK (AP) — Brandon Waddell's first major league appearance in almost four years was a rousing success.
After spending 2 1/2 seasons overseas, the left-hander was called up by the New York Mets from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday and pitched 4 1/3 shutout innings against Arizona in relief of opener Huascar Brazobán.
Waddell exited with the Mets leading 1-0 in the seventh and was in line for his first career win until the Diamondbacks rallied for a 4-3 victory.
“It was awesome. It’s good to be back,” the 30-year-old Waddell said. “Like I said in spring training, I think I can pitch here. That was one of the reasons I really wanted to come back. To be able to do that is pretty cool.”
Brazobán was used as an opener for the second time this season, with Waddell in waiting to soak up several innings. The first player in Mets history to wear No. 82, Waddell allowed three hits and struck out a career-high four without a walk in the longest of his 12 big league outings with five teams.
“Unbelievable,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “I thought he was really, really good.”
After throwing 40 of his 60 pitches for strikes, Waddell walked off the mound to a standing ovation from the Citi Field crowd of 31,904.
“It’s awesome. It’s something I definitely didn’t expect. But you could feel it,” Waddell said. “As a player, it means a lot to have that support. It’s something we always really cherish.”
Brazobán and Waddell were lined up to pitch so New York could give No. 1 starter Kodai Senga his customary fifth day of rest before he gets the ball in Thursday's series finale.
Waddell more than did his part, providing the longest scoreless outing by a Mets reliever since Nelson Figueroa went 4 1/3 innings against St. Louis in August 2009.
“It’s a lot of fun, really. This game is pretty cool. You never know where it’s going to take you and different things it’ll teach you,” said Waddell, who graduated from the University of Virginia with an economics degree. “To have that journey is pretty special. And to be back is a lot of fun.”
The first-place Mets also put lefty reliever Danny Young on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Sunday, with a sprained pitching elbow. It's possible Young will need Tommy John surgery, Mendoza said.
“He’s been dealing with forearm (discomfort) for a few weeks now, and we’ve been trying to monitor him and things like that. But lately he was having a hard time recovering," Mendoza said. "We did an imaging this morning and it showed the sprained ligament.”
New York's top left-handed reliever, A.J. Minter, is also on the IL with a significant left lat strain after getting hurt Saturday in Washington. He underwent another MRI on Wednesday and season-ending surgery is a possibility.
A decision will probably be made within a couple of days, Mendoza said. A treatment program of rest and rehabilitation remains an option — but the 31-year-old pitcher will be unavailable for an extended period regardless.
“That’s about as bad timing as you can get, huh?" Young said. "It’s unfortunate. Obviously, Mint, he’s a big piece for us. And then Mint goes down and then I obviously want to pick up that slack and, you know, that’s just the situation we’re in now.”
Minter was in the clubhouse Wednesday with his left arm in a sling.
Veteran right-hander Chris Devenski was selected from Triple-A, right-hander Kevin Herget was optioned to Syracuse and lefty Brooks Raley was transferred to the 60-day IL.
Raley, recovering from elbow surgery last May, was re-signed Tuesday to a one-year contract that guarantees $1.85 million. He is throwing bullpens but won't be ready to join the team for a while.
The roster shuffle left Waddell as the only left-hander in New York's reliable bullpen.
“A guy that is more of a pitchability-type guy. You know, moves the ball around. Strike thrower. Been in professional baseball for a long time,” Mendoza said before the game.
Waddell, who turns 31 on June 3, was 1-1 with a 1.54 ERA in five starts at Syracuse, with 21 strikeouts and seven walks in 23 1/3 innings. His previous big league outing came with St. Louis against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on July 9, 2021.
He entered Wednesday with an 0-1 record and 5.68 ERA in 12 2/3 innings over 11 major league games, all in relief, for Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Baltimore and St. Louis from 2020-21.
Waddell was released by the Cardinals in July 2022 and spent the next 2 1/2 years pitching in South Korea and China. He spent last season with the Doosan Bears of the KBO, going 7-4 with a 3.12 ERA in 14 starts before signing with the Mets in December.
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Waddell was selected by the Pirates in the fifth round of the 2015 amateur draft after winning a College World Series championship at Virginia.
In other news, right-hander Paul Blackburn (right knee inflammation) threw a bullpen Tuesday and is scheduled to pitch Friday in a rehab outing for Class A Brooklyn.
Mendoza also said Brandon Nimmo was feeling better, but the left fielder was out of the starting lineup for the second consecutive night because of an illness that’s been going around the Mets’ clubhouse.
Nimmo grounded out as a pinch hitter to end the eighth.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Mike Fitzpatrick, The Associated Press
