The Mets paid up and Gott their guy.
The Mets used a bit more of Steve Cohen’s wallet to bolster their bullpen Monday, taking on the contract of Chris Flexen in order to obtain reliever Trevor Gott from the Mariners.
Going to Seattle is lefty Zach Muckenhirn, whom the Mets had designated for assignment, and payroll relief because the Mariners will no longer have to pay Flexen.
The Post’s Joel Sherman confirmed the Mets will pick up the roughly $4 million due to Flexen, who immediately was designated for assignment.
In buying Flexen, the Mets pried away Gott, who is owed about $600,000 and who has been a solid journeyman reliever.
The Mets’ bullpen has burned them often, proving too shallow without the injured Edwin Diaz at the back end.
The unit was the second-worst in MLB entering play Monday, according to FanGraphs’ WAR rankings, especially exposed because the rotation has not provided enough length.
The Mets acquired Trevor Gott in a trade with the Mariners. Getty ImagesManager Buck Showalter used seven pitchers in Sunday’s win over the Giants, and a weak spot seems to creep up in each game.
The latest was Jeff Brigham, who watched a four-run lead become a one-run edge in the seventh inning.
The Mets hope Gott can help.
Gott was nearly spotless in two months of work and posted a 1.75 ERA through the end of May.
The Mets brought back Chris Flexen in a trade with the Mariners. APA low-back muscle spasm forced him to the injured list in early June, and he made his return late in the month.
This season, Gott has been excellent against righties (.517 OPS) but struggled against lefties (1.059 OPS).
The 30-year-old has spent time with the Angels, Nationals, Giants, Brewers and Mariners and emerged as a mostly reliable righty who has struck out 31 hitters in 29 innings this season.
The Mets traded Zach Muckenhirn to the Mariners. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConFlexen, a 14th-round Mets pick in 2012, pitched from 2017-19 as a swingman in Queens without much success (8.07 ERA in 68 innings).
He reinvented himself in the KBO and was solid for a few seasons as a starter in Seattle before falling off this year.
To create roster space, the Mets transferred righty Edwin Uceta to the 60-day injured list.
Righty Elieser Hernández was returned from his rehab assignment, reinstated from the IL and optioned to Triple-A Syracuse.
Hernandez, who had been sidelined with a shoulder strain, had allowed three runs (two earned) in four innings with High-A Brooklyn.
