RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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The New York Mets have been crushed by injuries during the 2026 MLB season. What was predicted to be one of the league’s top teams preseason has been a huge disappointment.
Heading into the weekend, the Mets are 53-69 and last place in the National League East. They are a mammoth 20 ½ games out of first. With a strong overall NL this year, they do not have much chance to sneak into the Wild Card either, barring a miracle run.
26 different position players have taken at-bats for the club this season, and one of those is former Texas Ranger/Detroit Tiger/Athletic Andy Ibáñez. The 33-year-old appeared in only three games total for the Mets.
His tenure will now be at an end, as reported by Francys Romero on Thursday. The team has officially released him.
Background on Ibáñez
The utility started the 2026 season with the Athletics. He played in 11 games, batting .118 before being designated for assignment in late April. Ibáñez was claimed by the Mets shortly after, reporting to Triple-A Syracuse.
The 33-year-old would play his only three games in New York during early May, failing to reach base in eight plate appearances, though did have two sacrifice fly RBIs. He was then DFA’d, went through waivers, and outrighted back to Triple-A on May 16.
Now almost three months removed from that, Triple-A Syracuse has released the veteran. He appeared in 31 games for them, putting up an OPS of .723.
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Where to next
May 10, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Mets infielder Andy Ibanez against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images In 434 total MLB games, Ibáñez has slashed .250/.301/.383 (.684 OPS) with 28 home runs and 133 RBIs. He provided a good bit of versatility, playing six different positions.
Outside of a couple solid seasons with Texas in 2021 and Detroit in 2023, Ibáñez has been rather pedestrian. His Triple-A numbers across the last few seasons do not suggest that he will get another MLB opportunity soon.
If that is the case, he could either retire, sign a new minor league deal, or play overseas. Ibáñez’s career will most be remembered by his eighth inning bases-clearing go-ahead double for the Tigers in Game 2 of the 2024 American League Wild Card at the Houston Astros.
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