Rick Reed became a Met before the 1996 season on a minor league deal. At 31, he was a journeyman whose career seemed stalled. His journey to New York was mired in controversy; during the 1994–95 MLB strike, Reed crossed the picket line to play as a replacement for the Cincinnati Reds. This decision made him a pariah in his own clubhouse when the regular players returned. Signed by the Mets as a backup, the control-focused right-hander proved the critics wrong with one of the most surprising and outstanding career comebacks of his time.
Reed's 1997 debut was solid, with a 13-9 record, 2.89 ERA, and a top-five 1.04 WHIP, showcasing his speed and corner pitching. In 1998, he achieved a career-high 16 wins, made his first All-Star team, and became a key figure in the league.
Reed was a key pitcher for the Mets, consistently giving team a strong chance to win with four seasons of at least 11 victories (1997–2000). His precise pitching was an era-defining outlier, often ranking high in strikeout-to-walk ratio, walking fewer than 35 batters and pitching over 180 innings. His reliability peaked during 2000, with 11 wins and a pivotal Game 3 in the NLCS, helping New York reach the 'Subway Series’ against the Yankees.
Just months after signing a lucrative three-year contract extension to stay in New York and earning his second National League All-Star nod, the front office traded the veteran right-hander to the Minnesota Twins at the 2001 July deadline in a straight-up deal for outfielder Matt Lawton.
With the Mets, Reed compiled a 59-36 record and a 3.64 ERA.
Comments powered by CComment