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Melky, Strickland among veterans added to Mets' player pool

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The New York Mets added some veterans to their summer camp squad Monday.

Reliever Hunter Strickland, infielder Gordon Beckham, and outfielder Melky Cabrera have joined the Mets and will soon be added to their eligible player pool, the team announced. Terms of the deals weren't disclosed.

Strickland is coming off an injury-shortened season. In 28 appearances split between the Seattle Mariners and Washington Nationals, the 31-year-old right-hander posted a career-worst 5.55 ERA and 6.30 FIP with 18 strikeouts, eight walks, and two saves. Strickland also allowed four earned runs in two innings during the NLDS, his only postseason action in 2019.

For his career, Strickland owns a 3.16 ERA, 3.68 FIP, and 1.20 WHIP with 229 strikeouts and 21 saves across six big-league seasons. He won a World Series with the San Francisco Giants in 2014.

Beckham, 33, had been in camp with the San Diego Padres but was released after spring training was halted in March. Last year, he posted a .643 OPS with six home runs and 15 RBIs across 83 games for the Detroit Tigers.

The former top-10 draft pick owns a career .237/.300/.367 line across 11 seasons with six teams.

Cabrera experienced a minor renaissance last year when he slashed .280/.313/.399 over 133 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 35-year-old was an All-Star with San Francisco in 2012 and is joining his ninth organization.

The Mets also re-signed outfielder Ryan Cordell and right-hander Erasmo Ramirez to contracts after releasing them this weekend. Both players had originally joined New York on minor-league deals in January and are also expected to be added to the eligible-player pool.

The five signings bring New York's list of eligible players to 50, according to Tim Healey of Newsday.

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