Mets sign Aaron Harang to minor league deal

The New York Mets have signed right-handed pitcher Aaron Harang to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Las Vegas, according to an announcement from the team. Harang was recently released by the Mariners after being designated for assignment last week.

Harang, 35, spent spring training with the Dodgers before being shipped to the Rockies during the first week of the season in exchange for catcher Ramon Hernandez.

Colorado flipped Harang to the Mariners five days later in a trade for minor leaguer Steven Hensley, and the veteran has spent the entire season with Seattle.

In 22 starts on the year, Harang went 5-11 with a 5.76 ERA, 6.5 K/9, and 2.1 BB/9 in 120.1 innings of work, and was designated for assignment to open a rotation spot for top prospect Taijuan Walker, who was recently promoted to make his major league debut.

Harang joins pitchers Daisuke Matuzaka, Mitch Talbot, Daryl Thompson and Cory Wade on the list of veteran arms that the Mets have stockpiled in recent weeks. Because the team is out of contention, they are likely using the last month of the season as a way to try out players who could come back and help the major league squad in 2014. Adam Rubin of ESPN.com speculates that Harang will be back in the majors by the end of the season.

3 likely reasons: Plan to use a sixth starter down the stretch, concern about Dice-K and need help with Las Vegas to finish playoffs.

— Adam Rubin (@AdamRubinESPN) September 2, 2013

In fifteen major league seasons with the Athletics (2002-2003), Reds (2003-2010), Padres (2011), Dodgers (2012) and Mariners (2013), Harang is 110-115 with a 4.29 ERA in 321 career appearances (315 starts). His best season came in 2007 with Cincinnati, when he posted a 16-11 record and 3.76 ERA while finishing fourth in the voting for the National League Cy Young award.

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