Mets Daily January 31, 2026

Francisco Lindor is out for the World Baseball Classic after a right-elbow cleanup made him ineligible under insurance constraints. The key takeaway: this is paperwork and risk management, not a “panic, his arm fell off” situation.
The New York Mets added veteran depth with non-roster deals for Craig Kimbrel and Austin Barnes. The move screams “bullpen volatility insurance,” which is exactly what February signings are supposed to be.
Bo Bichette is getting early runway at third base, and the club is basically betting that the bat plays loud enough to let the gloves around him cover the rest. The framing from Carlos Mendoza and David Stearns: get better overall, not perfect at one spot.
MLB Network is rolling out WBC roster reveals starting February 5, so expect a steady drip of “your favorite guy is on a team you didn’t expect” announcements all week.

David Robertson called it a career. Seventeen years, 179 saves, a whole lot of “oh great, this guy again” for hitters.
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum voted in Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones, with Jeff Kent also part of the class. Induction is set for July 26 in Cooperstown.
Ryan Pressly retired after 13 seasons, closing the book on one of the steadier high-leverage runs of the last decade.
José Ramírez got paid again, with Cleveland locking him up on an extension that keeps their whole “we refuse to rebuild like normal people” plan alive.

Atlanta Braves: Added rotation depth with a minor league deal for Martín Pérez. Low risk, innings-chasing move, the kind contenders stack quietly.
Philadelphia Phillies: Brought in utilityman Dylan Moore on a minor league deal. Spring depth that can turn into real playing time fast if anyone tweaks a hammy.
Miami Marlins: Signed outfielder Daniel Johnson to a minor league deal with a non-roster invite. More outfield mix, more auditions.
Washington Nationals: Claimed lefty Richard Lovelady off waivers, then shuffled the 40-man again. Roster churn is basically their cardio right now.

January 31, 1962: Ralph Kiner joined the booth, rounding out an early-era broadcast team with Bob Murphy and Lindsey Nelson.
January 31, 1947: Nolan Ryan was born, later debuting as a hard-throwing kid in the organization before turning into baseball folklore.
January 31, 1919: Jackie Robinson was born, and that legacy still hits every season when every club wears 42.
Fun ripple from that 1962 booth move: early Mets baseball did not have many wins, but it had storytelling, and that helped build the identity fans still cling to when the standings get rude.
Broadcasting matters in Metsland more than people admit. A good call makes a Tuesday loss feel like a chapter instead of a chore. Kiner was part of why the early years stayed listenable.

Kimbrel enters camp with 440 career saves, top-five all-time, plus a career 2.58 ERA and roughly 14 K/9. If he looks even close to “old Kimbrel,” this becomes a steal.
Bichette’s defensive metrics at shortstop have trended rough in recent seasons, which is why third base is the experiment. The lineup math is obvious: the bat is the point.
WBC roster reveals begin February 5, which means the Mets’ spring storylines are about to get a second track: camp battles here, national-team headlines there.