Mets acquire Jerry Blevins from Nationals for Matt den Dekker

The Mets have swung their second trade of the day, acquiring left-hander Jerry Blevins from the Nationals in exchange for outfielder Matt den Dekker. Blevins joins southpaw Alex Torres, who was acquired from the Padres earlier on Monday, as new additions to the Mets' bullpen in the wake of Josh Edgin's season-ending elbow injury.

Blevins, 31, spent one season with the Nationals, posting a 2-3 record and 4.87 ERA in 64 appearances last year after being traded by the Athletics during the Winter Meetings. The southpaw is the owner of a lifetime 15-9 record and 3.58 ERA in parts of eight seasons with the A's (2007-2013) and Nationals (2014), but has struggled this spring, allowing eight earned runs in eight innings of work.

Blevins and Torres join Rule 5 pick Sean Gilmartin in the Mets' bullpen mix for lefties, with Scott Rice and Jack Leathersich available as depth options. The team had been linked to many lefties on the trade market in recent weeks, but the additions of Torres and Blevins are both considered surprising.

den Dekker, 27, provides outfield depth for the Nationals behind a starting corps of Jayson Werth, Bryce Harper, and the injured Denard Span. den Dekker has the ability to play all three positions for the Nats, and will likely split time with Michael Taylor and Nate McLouth as reserve outfielders to start the season.

In 80 major-league games over two seasons with the Mets, den Dekker posted a .238/.325/.310 line while slugging one home run and driving in thirteen runs. He was excellent at Triple-A last year, slashing .334/.407/.540 with eight home runs. The former fifth-rounder was once considered a mid-level prospect for New York, being ranked by Baseball America as one of the organization's top 25 prospects for four straight seasons from 2010 to 2013.