Stewart elected free agency Monday, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports.
Stewart passed through waivers unclaimed but will test out free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment. He slashed only .177/.325/.297 in 74 contests for the Mets in 2024.
The Mets optioned Stewart to Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday.
Stewart went 1-for-4 with three strikeouts while appearing in two games during his latest stint in the majors, and he'll now be sent back to the minors in favor of Luisangel Acuna. Stewart may still return to Queens before the end of the season, though he's unlikely to serve as more than bench depth.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Summoned from Triple-A
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The Mets recalled Stewart from Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday.
Jeff McNeil (wrist) was placed on the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move to open up a spot on the 28-man active roster for Stewart. Over 190 plate appearances in the big leagues this season, Stewart is slashing .175/.326/.299 with five home runs and 19 RBI.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Optioned to Triple-A
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The Mets optioned Stewart to Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports.
He joined the club earlier this week when J.D. Martinez went on paternity leave, but with Martinez back on the active roster Stewart will head back to the minors. Stewart got one start during his most recent stint with the big club, going 1-for-3 with a run scored.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Back in majors
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The Mets recalled Stewart from Triple-A Syracuse on Monday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
With J.D. Martinez set to miss the next several games while on paternity leave, Stewart will now come up from the minors to fill the open roster spot and could step in as the Mets' designated hitter. Since being sent to Syracuse in July, the 30-year-old has slashed .275/.444/.435 across 90 plate appearances at Triple-A.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Optioned to Syracuse
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The Mets optioned Stewart to Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday.
The move is to make room on the 26-man roster for outfielder Jesse Winker, who was acquired by the Mets on Saturday. Stewart has struggled in July, batting 3-for-25 with six walks and eight strikeouts, and has a slash line of .172/.326/.298 across 187 major-league plate appearances this season.
Stewart is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the Yankees, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
The Mets have faced two right-handers since Starling Marte (knee) went on the 10-day injured list and the left-handed-hitting Stewart hasn't started either one of them, as the club has gone with Tyrone Taylor in right field for both contests. While Stewart should still get his fair share of reps in the outfield while Marte is out, it's clear manager Carlos Mendoza isn't planning to use a strict platoon in right field.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: In line for more work
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Stewart could handle the strong side of a platoon in left field with Tyrone Taylor while Starling Marte (knee) is on the injured list, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
The Mets do have other options to replace Marte, including shifting Jeff McNeil to left and giving Jose Iglesias more time at second base, but some form of a Stewart-Taylor timeshare is the most likely scenario. Stewart has provided value at the plate against right-handers this season, slashing .204/.350/.372 with five homers over 140 plate appearances in that split, but Taylor is the better defensive outfielder.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Ends homer drought Monday
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Stewart went 2-for-6 with a three-run home run and a second run scored in Monday's win over the Rangers.
Getting the start in right field and batting fifth, Stewart ripped a first-pitch fastball from Jon Gray down the right-field line in the second inning, giving the Mets an early 7-0 lead in an eventual 14-2 rout. The blast ended a 32-game homer drought for Stewart, with his last long ball coming April 30 -- in between, he slashed a woeful .145/.299/.182 with just two RBI in 67 plate appearances. The 30-year-old has seen his playing time largely evaporate with J.D. Martinez handling everyday duties at DH, and even if he heats up at the plate, Stewart's role isn't likely to change much.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Back on bench Wednesday
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Stewart is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers.
Stewart had started in each of the past four games while Harrison Bader received two days off and with Starling Marte and J.D. Martinez both resting once. With the exception of catcher Francisco Alvarez (thumb), the Mets have all their key hitters available at the moment, so Stewart still looks to be part-time player despite the recent uptick in starting opportunities.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: On base three times Sunday
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Stewart went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored in Sunday's win over Atlanta.
Getting the start in left field with Brandon Nimmo nursing an intercostal issue, Stewart did a credible job as the leadoff hitter. Nimmo wound up pinch hitting a slugging a walk-off homer in the ninth inning however, so the assignment for Stewart was purely a short-term one. The 30-year-old has played well enough to keep a bench job even after J.D. Martinez joined the big-league roster, and Stewart sports a .206/.389/.426 slash line on the season with four homers and 16 RBI in 90 plate appearances.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Losing work to J.D. Martinez
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Stewart is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cubs, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Stewart is on the bench for the third time in five games. As expected, he's become the odd man out of the Mets' everyday lineup versus right-handed pitching after New York added designated hitter J.D. Martinez to the 26-man active roster Friday.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Not in Wednesday's lineup
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Stewart is absent from the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Giants, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Southpaw Blake Snell is on the hill for the Giants, so the left-handed-hitting Stewart will begin Wednesday's game on the bench. Starling Marte will serve as the Mets' designated hitter in Stewart's stead, and with J.D. Martinez potentially set to report to the big club this weekend, Stewart's time as New York's primary DH may have already come to an end.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Launches third homer
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Stewart went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Friday's win over the Dodgers.
The 30-year-old drove a 96.3 mph fastball from Yoshinobu Yamamoto deep to right field in the second inning to open the scoring with a solo shot, then chipped in runs later in the contest with a sacrifice fly and a single. Stewart has hit safely in six of his last seven games, batting .368 (7-for-19) over that stretch with all three of his homers and all 10 of his RBI on the season. J.D. Martinez (back) will eventually join the roster as the full-time DH, but Stewart is doing what he can to prove he should remain in a prominent role once that happens.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Sits against lefty
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Stewart is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Pirates, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
The lefty-hitting Stewart will take a seat for the fourth straight game, with three of his absences from the lineup coming against southpaws. Stewart still looks to be the Mets' preferred option at designated hitter against right-handed pitching while J.D. Martinez's (back) season debut is still at least a week away.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: On bench Tuesday
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Stewart is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Pirates, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Stewart was held out of the lineup the past two games with the Mets facing left-handed starters, and he's sitting again Tuesday with righty Jared Jones pitching for Pittsburgh. Francisco Alvarez will rest his legs as the designated hitter while Omar Narvaez receives a start behind the plate.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: Heads to bench versus lefty
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Stewart is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Royals.
Stewart will take a seat to begin Sunday's game while the Royals bring left-hander Cole Ragans to the hill. With Stewart on the bench, Starling Marte will serve as the Mets' designated hitter, and Tyrone Taylor will draw a start in right field.
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Mets' DJ Stewart: First hit of season leaves yard
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Stewart went 1-for-3 with a walk and a two-run home run in Monday's win over Atlanta.
The 30-year-old came into the game having gone 0-for-10 to start the season, but Stewart broke a 5-5 tie in the eighth inning by launching a Pierce Johnson curveball over the fence in center field. Stewart has been the Mets' regular DH against right-handed pitching to begin the season, but he'll lose that role -- and potentially even his spot on the 26-man roster -- when J.D. Martinez (body soreness) is ready to make his debut for the club.
