Adbert Alzolay is not a signing for this year. The former Chicago Cubs closer had Tommy John surgery in August of 2024 and almost certainly will miss all of 2025. In early January the Mets signed him to a two-year minor league deal. Alzolay gets to rehab with the Mets and the Mets get an interesting bullpen arm for the 2026 season.
Alzolay was signed by the Cubs as an amateur free agent in 2012 and made his major league debut in 2019. The Cubs were still trying to use him as a starter as recently as 2021 where he pitched in 29 games, 21 starts tossing 125 1/3 innings with a 4.58 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 1.162 WHIP and a 92 ERA+. He then missed most of 2022 with a shoulder and lat injury.
Alzolay had a breakout 2023. Over 64 innings, spread over 58 games, he had a 2.67 ERA, 3.02 FIP, 1.016 WHIP and a 160 ERA+. The Cubs moved him to the back of the bullpen and he seized the opportunity saving 22 games. Alzolay’s Baseball Savant page was filled with red. His fastball, averaging at 95.3 mph, was in the 73rd percentile, xERA at 3.61 was in the 74th percentile. His 5.1 BB% was in the 92nd percentile. Hitters were barreling him only 6% of the time (81st percentile). Just a phenomenal season. Pitch tracking credited him for throwing six different pitches in 2023:
- Slider (avg 87.5 mph) 45.1%
- Four Seamer (avg 95.3 mph) 20.7%
- Sinker (avg 95.3 mph) 19.3%
- Cutter (avg 91.1 mph) 10%
- Sweeper (avg 82.6 mph) 4.4%
- Changeup (avg 87.8 mph) 0.5%
Things were not going well for Alzolay in 2024 before his injury. Over 17 1/3 innings, eh had allowed 13 runs, nine earned, from 19 hits and six walks. It’s a small sample size, but he had a 1.442 WHIP, ballooned from his career mark of 1.157. His FIP was also sky high at 7.38 (career 4.30).
Rehab schedules from Tommy John surgery have become highly regimented over the last few years. Plenty of players have bounced back from the surgery well. That being said, it’s always a mystery as to what a player looks like after the surgery. Maybe we will see him in some rehab games in late 2025. Next year we’ll look to see what the Mets do with his arsenal. We have seen the Mets take pitchers with large arsenals over the last year and highlight their most successful pitches to remake their profile on the field. We wish Alzolay a speedy recovery and we’re looking forward to his 2026 season!
