Mets add Trey McGough to bolster lefty pitching depth

The New York Mets on Jan. 15 signed left-hander Trey McGough to a two-year minor-league contract, a measured add that gives the organization a low-risk southpaw with both starting and relief experience. McGough, who recently returned from a short retirement, posted a 1.98 ERA across 81.2 innings in the minors in 2024 and spent time at Triple-A Charlotte in 2025, signaling he still has the command and durability to be a useful depth piece.

For a Mets roster that has faced questions about left-handed depth and swingman options, McGough represents an affordable way to shore up options without committing a 40-man spot immediately. The deal is structured to keep payroll flexibility intact while providing spring training competition; McGough is expected to battle for a rotation or bullpen depth role in camp and would likely start the season at Triple-A Syracuse unless he forces the issue with a standout showing.

McGough’s 2024 numbers are the headline: a sub-2.00 ERA over meaningful innings suggests his approach and stuff translated well in pro ball after his comeback. His time at Triple-A Charlotte in 2025 shows he has recent experience at the highest minor-league level, which should shorten any adjustment period if the Mets need him in the big-league mix. The club’s ability to deploy him as a spot starter, long man, or multi-inning reliever increases his value in a modern roster environment that prizes versatility.

From a business perspective, the signing fits a trend across baseball of teams using two-way minor-league deals to purchase depth cheaply while maintaining roster flexibility. For the Mets it reduces the urgency to trade for immediate left-handed help and provides internal options for injury contingencies or innings management. It also creates low-cost competition in spring training, a small-market competitive strategy that has become standard even for teams with big payrolls.

Culturally, McGough’s brief retirement and return will resonate with fans who enjoy comeback narratives and the underdog push for a roster spot. Southpaws who can eat innings remain scarce enough that a successful spring could make McGough a fan favorite in Syracuse and, if called up, a useful stopgap in Queens.

What this means for fans is straightforward: watch spring training for signs McGough can command a major-league role, and monitor Syracuse early in the season as he provides the Mets with depth and flexibility. If he recaptures his 2024 form, McGough could be a quietly important piece of New York’s pitching puzzle.