Mets DFA Infielder After Short Stint With Team
Between games of a doubleheader, the Mets reinstated shortstop Francisco Lindor from the 10-day injured list and designated Short for assignment in the corresponding move.
A left calf strain had sidelined Lindor for about two months.
Before hitting the shelf, he was off to a slow start, hitting .226/.314/.355, but he is a career .273/.342/.473 hitter with the speed and defense to anchor the lineup, and the Mets badly need him to get back on track.
A Season of Constant Movement
For Short, the DFA continues one of the more transaction-heavy seasons any player has endured.
He began the year with the Yankees on a minor league deal, was traded to the Nationals in March and then the Tigers in May, was selected to Detroit's roster, designated for assignment after a couple of days, re-signed to a major league deal, lasted about a month, and was designated again before the Mets claimed him off waivers.
He has hit just .159/.278/.205 between his stops this season.
Mets pitchers to not give up a run tonight:
— Mets'd Up Podcast (@MetsdUp) June 21, 2026
Zack Short pic.twitter.com/9nlsNt6xJB
The 31-year-old is a glove-first infielder who has never provided much at the plate, carrying a career .172/.273/.292 line across 640 big league plate appearances over six seasons.
He continues to get opportunities because of his defensive reputation, with hundreds of innings at shortstop, second base, and third base, the majority of that time coming at shortstop.
Where the Mets Stand
Due to injuries to Lindor and several others, along with struggles from healthy players, the Mets are 34-46, sitting nine games out of a playoff spot.
If New York is going to avoid a sell-off ahead of the deadline, the team will need to string some wins together soon.
Short now heads into DFA limbo once again and should be back on waivers in the coming days.
If he clears, he would have the right to elect free agency given a previous outright in his career.
