Chicago White Sox Hector Santiago
Photo by David Maxwell/Getty Images

The New York Mets signed lefty reliever Hector Santiago to a minor league deal, adding to their depth in the bullpen.

The New York Mets added a lefty to their bullpen depth, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll make the team, per Per Rich Mancuso of Keep it in the Ring (and to SNY’s Andy Martino for clarifying that the deal was indeed of the minor-league form.

Santiago is a seven-year veteran and completed his second stint with the White Sox last season. He previously pitched with the Angels and Twins after coming up with the White Sox. Last season was the first that he pitched primarily out of the bullpen, but he still made seven starts.

Should he make the roster, the Mets would become the first National League team of his big-league career.

He pitched to a 4.50 ERA last season and has a career ERA of 4.06. He has been more effective as a reliever though, as he’s put up a career ERA of 3.53 in games that he was not the starting pitcher. He collected 102 innings pitched last season, so he did show durability that the team has lacked in recent years.

He’ll be looking to compete for a bullpen that features Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman, the re-signed Jeurys Familia, and stud closer Edwin Diaz. He gives the Mets a veteran lefty that can push for innings should the need arise.

The team is still in need of a lefty reliever that is definitively good enough to make the roster. There have been reports that they are interested in Justin Wilson, who would be a great addition. The Santiago signing certainly shouldn’t prevent the team from attempting to add Wilson or another lefty.

Santiago is a solid depth signing that doesn’t cost the team anything, but they still need another lefty to ensure that they can create matchups that they like.

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