ATLANTA -- The Mets fleshed out their organizational depth with a pair of former big league starters this week, inking Vance Worley and Scott Copeland to Minor League contracts. The team also released another former big leaguer, A.J. Griffin.
Both Worley and Copeland will report to extended spring workouts in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
The team is plenty familiar with Worley, 30, a third-round Draft pick of the Phillies who spent time in Philadelphia's rotation from 2010-12, and in Miami's last season. In between, Worley appeared for the Twins, Pirates and Orioles. He has a 35-36 record with a 4.09 ERA in eight seasons. The right-hander was in Spring Training with the Reds but was released after posting a 6.17 ERA in seven relief appareances. He had a 6.91 ERA in 12 starts and 12 relief appearances for the Marlins in 2017.
Copeland, 30, has not appeared in the Majors since 2015 with the Blue Jays. He spent the entirety of last season at the Marlins' Triple-A New Orleans affiliate, going 9-11 with a 4.97 ERA in 26 starts.
Those two should more than fill the gap left by Griffin, whom the Mets released after he allowed 16 runs in three innings at Triple-A Las Vegas. The Mets had signed Griffin in February to provide a measure of upper-level rotation depth, but his struggles eliminated him as a realistic option to contribute this season.