NEW YORK -- In a low-risk gamble to improve their bullpen, the Mets on Thursday signed veteran right-hander Brad Brach to a Major League deal. Brach, a Freehold, N.J., native and Monmouth University alumnus, was a Mets fan in his youth and even attended the 2015 World Series after the Orioles were eliminated earlier that season.

¡°[I] feel like the fit¡¯s really good here and the opportunity is great,¡± Brach said before Friday¡¯s game against the Nationals.

When asked what specifically stood out about the fit, his childhood fandom came up.

¡°Growing up a huge Mets fan, that helps," Brach said. "But I just think I can bring a big asset to this bullpen and I know they need a little bit of help. So that¡¯s pretty much why I¡¯m here."

He is not far removed from being one of baseball¡¯s best relievers. An All-Star in 2016 with the Orioles, Brach posted a 3.05 ERA from 2012-18 with more than a strikeout per inning, pitching for the Padres, O¡¯s and Braves. He appeared in three postseason games for Baltimore and two more last October for Atlanta.

But Brach struggled this year after signing a one-year deal with the Cubs, posting a 6.13 ERA in 42 games. The team released him on Monday, prompting Brach to draw immediate interest on the free-agent market. His peripherals -- 45 strikeouts in 39 2/3 innings, most notably -- suggest a turnaround is possible.

¡°I didn¡¯t locate very well there for a little bit [with the Cubs]," Brach said. "But really it comes down to two outings I had against Colorado ... went in a tailspin from there. I just couldn¡¯t get myself out of a funk. ... I wasn¡¯t pitching well, so there weren¡¯t as many opportunities."

Asked specifically what went wrong, Brach didn¡¯t have anything to pinpoint beyond the location issues.

¡°I wish I knew," he said. "Sometimes it¡¯s just baseball. When I talked to Joe [Maddon] in my exit meeting, he was just like, 'I¡¯m watching from the side, everything looks good. Sometimes it¡¯s just baseball.'"

In New York, the 33-year-old Brach replaces left-hander Donnie Hart, whom the Mets optioned to Triple-A Syracuse to clear 25-man roster space. The team also transferred outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster. Brach was active Friday as the Mets opened a critical three-game series with the Nationals.

If Brach thrives, he could assume some of the middle-innings load that the Mets have largely given to Robert Gsellman, Luis Avilan and a rotating cadre of rookies. Although the Mets have seen significant improvement in their bullpen since the All-Star break, posting the Majors' third-best ERA after ranking 28th before the break, the group could still use help.

Enter Brach, who succeeded in that sort of role down the stretch last season, producing a 1.52 ERA for the Braves in 27 appearances. The Mets will pay Brach only a pro-rated portion of the Major League minimum, with the Cubs assuming the remainder of his $5 million salary.

¡°I¡¯ve seen Brad throw a lot over the years, and I¡¯ve seen him dominant, so I¡¯m excited to have him,¡± Mets manager Mickey Callaway said.