Mets reportedly call up reliever Guillermo Zuñiga from Triple-A Syracuse ahead of Braves matchup

New York is expected to add right-handed bullpen depth by promoting Guillermo Zuñiga from Triple-A Syracuse for Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, according to a report citing The Athletic’s Will Sammon.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

The New York Mets are reportedly preparing to promote right-handed reliever Guillermo Zuñiga from Triple-A Syracuse to the major-league roster ahead of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, a move first reported by Yahoo Sports and attributed to The Athletic’s Will Sammon. If it holds, it would be a fresh bullpen option for a team that, like most clubs at this point of the season, is constantly balancing recent usage, matchups, and innings management.

In the minor leagues this season, Zuñiga has been working his way through the Mets’ system after arriving in the organization earlier in his tenure. According to Metsmerized Online, the Mets selected and promoted him to the majors in conjunction with a corresponding move that involved optioning another Mets reliever.

Metsmerized Online also provided a detailed look at Zuñiga’s path and production leading up to the call-up. The report described 19 and two-thirds innings of major-league experience across appearances in 2023 and 2024, with an ERA of 5.03 in those stints. It also noted that his season included strikeout success at the Double-A level for Binghamton before his promotion to Triple-A Syracuse.

The same reporting characterized Zuñiga’s repertoire as built around a four-seam fastball, sinker, slider, and changeup. Metsmerized Online further stated that his fastball and sinker have been sitting in the mid-90s range (between 93 and 96 mph) in the current season. The reliever’s role at the major-league level will likely depend on the Mets’ bullpen availability and the specific matchup needs created by the Braves’ lineup on Sunday.

Official verification matters with any mid-summer roster change, especially when the first report circulates as a “promotion expected” rather than a formal transaction. As of publication, the major-league move is being described in the baseball media as a reported call-up, with Mets confirmation not yet established in the information available here. That distinction is important for readers looking for the exact timing and corresponding roster action.

What to watch next is how Zuñiga is deployed, including which inning windows he takes and whether the Mets use him as a bridge reliever or a shorter-leverage option. His immediate assignment also will offer a clue to how New York views his current command and pitch effectiveness versus major-league batters, compared with the success that helped him earn the Syracuse promotion.

Why It Matters

A bullpen call-up can shift a team’s leverage options for the next several days, particularly in interleague series where lineups differ from recent opponents.
For the Mets, adding Zuñiga from Syracuse suggests a focus on getting fresh right-handed relief arms into the mix at the major-league level.
The Braves matchup provides an early test, because Atlanta’s lineup tends to put pressure on relief pitchers with patient at-bats and timely extra-base swings.
If the promotion is confirmed, Zuñiga’s usage will be a key indicator of whether the organization sees him as a longer-term bullpen piece or a short-term spot starter for matchups.

Sources

Key Facts

Yahoo Sports reported that the Mets are promoting reliever Guillermo Zuñiga from Triple-A Syracuse ahead of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, citing The Athletic’s Will Sammon.
The move is being described as a reported call-up rather than a universally confirmed, primary-source transaction in the information available here.
Metsmerized Online reported that Zuñiga has 19 2/3 innings of major-league experience across 2023 and 2024 and posted a 5.03 ERA in those appearances.
Metsmerized Online described Zuñiga’s 2026 pitch mix as including a four-seam fastball, sinker, slider, and changeup.
Metsmerized Online reported Zuñiga’s fastball and sinker have been sitting between 93 and 96 mph this season.
The Mets’ next steps will hinge on the corresponding roster move and the specific bullpen role Zuñiga is given for the Braves game.