The Mets sent Carlos Beltran to the Giants in July, but they were surprisingly unwilling to deal any of their lesser free-agents-to-be, a group that included Chris Capuano, Scott Hairston, Willie Harris, Jason Isringhausen and Tim Byrdak. Today they retained the least expensive member of that bunch for 2012, signing the 37-year-old Byrdak to a one-year extension.
Byrdak, who signed a minor league deal in January after being let go by the Astros two months earlier, has a 2.95 ERA in 68 appearances this season. A true specialist, he’s thrown only 36 2/3 innings. Lefties, though, have his just .202 against him, and he has a 1.50 ERA in 24 innings since June 1.
The value of the deal wasn’t announced, but it’s safe to say it’s somewhere in the $1.2 million-$1.5 million range. Byrdak made $1.6 million last year with Houston, and he’s earned $900,000 with the Mets this season.
