Dwight Gooden still knows how to work a crowd.

Honored by the New York Mets with the retirement of his No. 16 on Sunday, the four-time All-Star recounted how his career in Queens was cut short by drugs and alcohol, forcing him to sign across town ahead of the 1996 season.

"I wanted to stay to make things right with you guys. I didn't want to leave on the note that I did," Gooden told the fans, "Unfortunately, they thought it was best that we go separate ways. I was lucky enough to stay in New York, play with the New York Yankees for two years, '96 and '97."

The Baltimore Orioles acquired right-handed reliever Yohan Ramirez from the New York Mets in exchange for cash considerations on Thursday.

No corresponding roster move was necessary, as Ramirez brought Baltimore's 40-man roster to 40 players.

The Minnesota Twins acquired right-hander Michael Tonkin from the New York Mets for cash considerations Tuesday.

To make room for Tonkin on the 26-man roster, the Twins placed outfielder Max Kepler on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Sunday) with a right knee contusion.

Jerry Grote, the longtime New York Mets catcher and part of their 1969 World Series championship team, died Sunday because of respiratory failure after a heart procedure in Austin, Texas, his family announced. He was 81.

Grote, known especially for his defense, played 16 seasons, 12 for the Mets, before serving as the backup catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977-78. In 1981, his final year in the majors, he played in 22 games for the Kansas City Royals and two for the Dodgers.

 J.D. Martinez's debut with the New York Mets will be delayed as the 2023 All-Star continues to ramp up physically after signing late in spring training, manager Carlos Mendoza said Sunday.

"We're not going to see him in a while," Mendoza said. "He's going to stay down in Port St. Lucie and get more at-bats. He's feeling it. We knew he was going to need a lot of time. Not only with the timing and the mechanics, but overall with his body."

With injuries and bad weather draining their rotation already, the New York Mets have agreed to a contract with veteran starter Julio Teheran, according to multiple reports.

Teheran, a longtime Mets nemesis with rival Atlanta, spent spring training with Baltimore. The right-hander opted out of his minor league deal with the Orioles late last month when he didn't make their Opening Day major league roster.

The New York Post was first to report the deal between the Mets and Teheran.

Eight Major League clubs sent representatives to watch NPB pitcher Roki Sasaki's latest start, according to multiple reports.

The New York Yankees, Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals were among the clubs that scouted Sasaki.

Over three NPB seasons, the 22-year-old has thrown 283 2/3 innings with 376 strikeouts and a 2.00 ERA.

Pitchers Genesis Cabrera of the Toronto Blue Jays and Yohan Ramirez of the New York Mets were suspended for three games each by Major League Baseball on Sunday for their actions in separate games.

And Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was suspended for one game as a result of Ramírez's actions, Major League Baseball senior vice president for on-field operations Michael Hill said.

Expectations are lower for the Mets entering this season. But owner Steve Cohen still has a specific achievement in mind.

"I think the goal is to make the playoffs. Pretty simple. Let's not overthink this," Cohen said Friday. "If we don't make the playoffs, obviously I'd be disappointed."

Wearing a Mets cap and jacket, Cohen held a news conference at Citi Field a couple of hours before the Mets played their opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, pushed back a day because of rain.

Left-hander Jordan Montgomery and the Arizona Diamondbacks are in agreement on a one-year, $25 million contract that includes a vesting player option for a second season, sources told ESPN on Tuesday night, bolstering the National League champions' rotation with the postseason standout from the team that beat them in the World Series.

The deal, which is pending a physical, ends Montgomery's free agency two days before Opening Day and could include a second-year player option at $20 million if Montgomery makes 10 starts. The option would be for $22.5 million if Montgomery reaches 18 starts and $25 million at 23 starts, sources said.