Overview

• On June 23, the Mets signed 29-year-old left-handed reliever Richard Lovelady to a major league contract and activated him for the series opener against the Atlanta Braves.
• Lovelady, who prefers teammates and fans to call him "Dicky," will maintain his formal name for scoreboards and official communications.
• The signing comes as New York's pitching staff reels from injuries to starters Tylor Megill and Kodai Senga and reliever Max Kranick, leaving the bullpen short on left-handed options.
• After a brief stint with the Toronto Blue Jays this season, Lovelady excelled at Triple-A St. Paul, posting a 1.31 ERA over 19 appearances before opting out for the major league deal.
• New York’s relief corps ranks among MLB's best with the fifth-lowest ERA, and Lovelady offers an additional lefty weapon for matchups late in games.