The former Phillies relief pitcher has not thrown a pitch in the big leagues since 2011.
Former Phillies relief pitcher Ryan Madson has missed the past two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He last pitched in the big leagues in the 2011 playoffs, after which he left the Phillies for the Reds. Although he missed the entire season, the Angels signed him to a major league deal for 2013, but he pitched just one inning in the minors.
Before his surgery, Madson was a very good relief pitcher. After a good rookie season in 2004, he took a step back in 2005. He struggled in 2006 as he split time between the starting rotation and the bullpen, but after that season, he pitched exclusively as a relief pitcher and excelled. His 2.89 ERA and 3.14 FIP from 2007 through 2011 ranked within the top forty and thirty in baseball, respectively.
Assuming the Mets are, indeed, looking for help in the bullpen, taking a flyer on Madson on a minor league deal couldn't really do much harm. But with major league deals likely off the table, a reunion between Madson and the Phillies could happen, as there's reportedly mutual interest between the team and player.
