Mets acquire Elieser, Brigham from Marlins

NEW YORK -- In their ongoing search for pitching depth, the Mets on Friday acquired right-handed pitchers Elieser Hernandez and Jeff Brigham from the Marlins, for pitching prospect Franklin Sánchez plus a player to be named or cash.

Hernandez, 27, started 10 games and came out of the bullpen for 10 more for Miami this past season, his fifth in the Majors. While his overall numbers -- 3-6 with a 6.35 ERA, along with 60 strikeouts in 62 1/3 innings -- do not pop off the page, Hernandez fills an obvious need for the Mets now that swingman Trevor Williams has gone to free agency in search of a more consistent starting role. New York needs someone to replace Williams as a pitcher capable of starting, throwing on short rest, pitching in long relief or even providing short relief if necessary. Hernandez fits that bill.

Brigham becomes a bullpen candidate for the Mets after producing a 3.38 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 24 innings over 16 relief appearances in 2022. The 30-year-old has pitched four seasons in the big leagues, topping out in the mid-to-upper 90s but struggling through various arm injuries along the way.

Brigham joins a group of high-octane arms that the Mets have acquired in recent weeks, including waiver claims Tayler Saucedo, Stephen Ridings and William Woods. He’ll compete with those three and others for a job in Spring Training.

The Marlins had designated Hernandez and Brigham for assignment on Tuesday, which led them to explore trades for both.

To acquire the duo from a division rival, the Mets gave up Sánchez, 22, who did not rank among their Top 30 Prospects by MLB Pipeline. The 6-foot-6 right-hander had a 3.79 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings over 17 games (seven starts) at Single-A and High-A in 2022.