NEW YORK -- First things first: Richard Lovelady wants to be called Richard in all formal communications -- on the scoreboard, on television, in print. But if you run into him on the street or at the ballpark, Lovelady prefers his nickname, Dicky. Some of his family members call him by his middle name, Tyler, to differentiate him from his father, who’s also named Richard.
“On a baseball card, I go by Richard Lovelady,” the pitcher said. “On the scoreboard, Richard Lovelady.”
Dicky is just a nickname -- one that, if Lovelady provides what the Mets hope he can, will be called frequently on the bullpen phone. Pitching for the Twins’ Triple-A St. Paul affiliate early this season, Lovelady produced a 1.31 ERA in 19 appearances. He has held left-handed batters to a .567 OPS this season and to a .232/.325/.345 slash line over his six-year career.
“Tough left-on-left,” was how Mets manager Carlos Mendoza described Lovelady, who pitches from a low arm slot. “It just adds another weapon there, another lefty out of the bullpen that we can continue to mix and match.”
Lovelady, 29, talked to the Mets the past two offseasons but wound up signing elsewhere on both occasions. It was not until last month that his outlook began to change. In May, Lovelady triggered an upward mobility clause in his contract with the Twins, allowing him to negotiate with the 29 other teams. None offered him a Major League contract, so he stayed in the Twins organization a few weeks longer until reaching his opt-out date on June 15.
At that time, Lovelady became a free agent and rekindled conversations with the Mets. Monday, the team formally signed him to a Major League contract. He was available out of the bullpen that night.
“I’ve heard so much about obviously the pitching department and all the coaches getting the absolute most out of everybody,” Lovelady said. “So I’m excited. I really am.”
In a series of corresponding moves, the club optioned infielder Luisangel Acuña and right-hander Tyler Zuber to Triple-A Syracuse, selected outfielder Travis Jankowski to the active roster and transferred outfielder Jose Siri to the 60-day injured list.
The Mets’ interest in Lovelady came as no surprise, considering the state of their bullpen. The two lefties on their Opening Day roster, A.J. Minter (torn left lat muscle) and Danny Young (Tommy John surgery), are both out for the rest of the season. José Castillo has enjoyed some success as the lone left-hander in New York’s bullpen the past few weeks, but he’s also walked nearly five batters per nine innings.
While it’s likely the Mets will continue to seek left-handed help leading up to the July 31 Trade Deadline, in the short-term, Lovelady gives Mendoza an additional option -- regardless of whether the manager calls him Richard, Tyler, or yes, even Dicky.