Mets Re-Sign Jeremy Hefner

The Mets re-signed Jeremy Hefner on Tuesday, just a week after non-tendering him.

Hefner will miss most, of not all, of the 2014 season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. Hefner is not yet eligible for arbitration, so it would have cost the Mets a little more than half a million dollars to retain him. By releasing and re-signing him to a minor league contract, the Mets will save a few hundred thousand dollars.

The move allows Hefner to continue his rehab with the Mets and possibly come back late in the season.

Jeremy Hefner was reasonably effective in 2013. Unexpectedly thrust into the rotation, Hefner finished with a 4.34 ERA to go along with a 4-8 record. However, there was a six-week stretch before the All-Star break when he was among the best pitchers in all of baseball. Hopefully he can pitch more like that if/when he comes back, likely as a long man out of the bullpen.