The Mets will be selecting the contract of right-hander Guillo Zuniga prior to today’s game with the Braves, according to reporter Francys Romero. New York has an open space on its 40-man roster, so the Mets only need to make an adjustment to the 26-man roster to make room for Zuniga.
When and if he appears in a game, it will mark Zuniga’s first taste of Major League action since 2024, when the righty pitched with the Angels. Zuniga made his MLB debut with the Cardinals the previous season and was then dealt to Los Angeles in a cash trade in February 2024. Over 17 games and 19 2/3 innings in the Show, Zuniga has a 5.03 ERA, 19% strikeout rate, and 9.5% walk rate, plus he has been tagged for five homers during his brief time as a big leaguer.
Since his time with the Angels, Zuniga has bounced around to the Phillies, Mariners, and Mets on minor league contracts, and pitched for Colombia during the World Baseball Classic. The 27-year-old has been part of New York’s organization since May, with a 3.29 ERA to show for 13 2/3 combined innings at the Double-A and Triple-A levels. That solid ERA masks an ugly 19% walk rate, however, though Zuniga is striking out batters at a 28.6% clip.
The walk rate is an extreme spike in the control problems that have followed Zuniga for most of his pro career, though he has shown flashes of this type of strikeout ability in the past. Zuniga is a hard thrower who has averaged 97.5mph on his fastball in the majors, looking like a classic case of a reliever who has plenty of stuff and just as much difficulty commanding that arsenal.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Zuniga’s selection amounts to a cup of coffee in the majors, as the Mets are coming off a 14-3 loss to Atlanta on Saturday. Though New York only used three relievers to get through the rout, Zuniga represents a fresh arm for the bullpen today and perhaps for the rest of the week if things go well, as the Mets don’t have another off-day until the All-Star break.
