Their bullpen lacking a traditional left-handed specialist, the Mets signed southpaw Adam Wilk to a Minor League contract Thursday that includes an invite to Spring Training.
Wilk, 29, is 0-3 with a 6.49 career ERA in nine games (three starts) across three brief big league stints dating back to 2011. He most recently appeared in the Majors with the Angels in '15, and he spent all of last season with Tampa Bay's Triple-A Durham affiliate, going 2-8 with a 3.61 ERA in 15 games (all starts).
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Though he's been primarily a starter over seven Minor League seasons, Wilk could compete for a bullpen role in camp or provide New York with rotation depth in the upper Minors. The Mets have three lefties in their projected Opening Day bullpen. None are specialists, but of the three, Josh Edgin appears best suited for that role.
New York is not expected to re-sign free agent Jerry Blevins, who performed well as the team's primary left-handed specialist in 2016, posting a 2.79 ERA over 73 appearances with New York.
Wilk will compete in Spring Training against a group that includes seven non-roster pitchers invited to camp this week. Two among those are left-handed: No. 26 prospect P.J. Conlon and David Roseboom.
An 11th-round pick by the Tigers in 2009, Wilk has gone 46-56 with a 3.59 ERA in 153 Minor League appearances (147 starts).