José Buttó Bio
José Alejandro Buttó is a Venezuelan professional baseball pitcher who is currently on the roster of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed pitcher, he previously played in MLB for the New York Mets, the organization that originally signed him as an international free agent. Buttó first reached the major leagues in 2022 and has since worked in both starting and relief roles.
Born on March 19, 1998, Buttó built his career in the Mets’ minor league system before earning a permanent place in the majors. Through the 2025 season, he had compiled a 13–10 win–loss record, a 3.56 earned run average, and 180 strikeouts in MLB action. He is also a Venezuelan international, having represented his country at the World Baseball Classic.
Early Life and Background
José Alejandro Buttó was born on March 19, 1998, and grew up in Venezuela, a country with a long and storied tradition of producing major league pitching talent. From an early age, he developed an interest in baseball and worked his way through local amateur programs before attracting the attention of professional scouts.
On June 2, 2017, Buttó signed with the New York Mets as an international free agent at the age of 19, formally beginning his path toward professional baseball. He left Venezuela to begin his career in the Dominican Summer League, where he posted a 1.44 earned run average across 15 appearances, including eight starts, marking an immediate impression as a polished young arm.
Path to Professional Baseball
After his strong summer debut, Buttó moved through the lower levels of the Mets’ minor league system. In 2018, he split the year between the rookie-level Kingsport Mets and the Low-A Brooklyn Cyclones, making 12 appearances with 11 starts and recording a 3.86 ERA with 55 strikeouts in just over 60 innings of work.
In 2019, Buttó spent the entire season with the Single-A Columbia Fireflies, where he went 4–10 with a 3.62 ERA and 109 strikeouts across 27 games and 25 starts. He did not play in 2020 because the minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning in 2021, he combined time at High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton, logging a 3.83 ERA and 110 strikeouts over 98⅔ innings. On November 19, 2021, the Mets added him to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, clearing the way for his major league arrival.
José Buttó Career
Early Career (2017–2021)
Buttó’s early professional years were spent climbing the ladder of the New York Mets’ minor league affiliates. He opened his career in the Dominican Summer League in 2017, advanced to Kingsport and Brooklyn in 2018, and then anchored the Columbia Fireflies rotation in 2019, where his heavy strikeout totals demonstrated the swing-and-miss profile that would later define his major league work.
After losing the 2020 season to the pandemic, Buttó returned in 2021 and split duties between High-A Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton. His progress earned him a spot on the Mets’ 40-man roster that November, signaling that the organization viewed him as a legitimate big-league prospect heading into 2022.
New York Mets Era (2022–2025)
Buttó was assigned to Double-A Binghamton to begin the 2022 season, where he went 6–5 with a 4.00 ERA and 108 strikeouts across 20 games and 18 starts. On August 21, 2022, he was promoted to the major leagues for a spot start against the Philadelphia Phillies, making his MLB debut and officially beginning his time in the show. He was optioned back to Triple-A Syracuse the following day and finished the year strong, registering a 2.45 ERA in eight games for the Mets’ top affiliate.
In 2023, Buttó shuttled between Syracuse and the majors, with his longest stay coming after the September roster expansion. Over nine games and seven starts for the Mets, he posted a 1–4 record with a 3.64 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 42 innings. He began 2024 back in Triple-A after losing a rotation competition, but injuries to the Mets’ staff quickly brought him back to the big leagues on April 4, 2024. He rewarded that opportunity, posting a 3.08 ERA with 38 strikeouts across 38 innings in seven starts before being sent down on May 14. Recalled on July 2, he earned a win in his return and recorded his first major league save on July 10 against the Washington Nationals. Across 37 games in 2024, he finished 7–3 with a 2.55 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 74 innings. Buttó made the Mets’ Opening Day roster in 2025, was briefly sidelined in July due to illness, and appeared in 34 games for New York that year, going 3–2 with a 3.64 ERA, one save, and 41 strikeouts across 47 innings.
San Francisco Giants Era (2025–Present)
On July 30, 2025, the Mets traded Buttó along with Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for reliever Tyler Rogers. In 21 appearances with his new club down the stretch, Buttó went 2–1 with a 4.50 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 20 innings, adjusting to a new league and a new bullpen role.
The start of his first full Giants season was disrupted when, on April 3, 2026, Buttó underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his throwing arm. The procedure initially was expected to sideline him for two to four months, but his recovery timeline was later extended to five to six months, ending his 2026 season. Before the injury, he had struggled to a 22.50 ERA across three appearances and two innings of work for San Francisco.
Driving Style and Strengths
Buttó has shown the versatility to operate both as a starting pitcher and as a multi-inning reliever. His strikeout totals across every minor league stop suggest a swing-and-miss arsenal, and his 2.55 ERA in 37 games during 2024 highlighted an ability to miss bats while limiting damage. With the Giants, he has been deployed primarily out of the bullpen, leaning on his experience to bridge games and provide length when needed.
Notable Events and Milestones
His MLB debut on August 21, 2022, against the Philadelphia Phillies marked the culmination of a five-year climb through the Mets’ system. His first major league save on July 10, 2024, against the Washington Nationals was another significant milestone, and his inclusion on the Mets’ 2025 Opening Day roster cemented his place as a trusted big-league arm. The midseason trade to the Giants in 2025 and his subsequent surgery to remove a blood clot in 2026 represent two of the most dramatic turns of his career to date.
José Buttó Career Wins
Across his time in the Mets and Giants organizations, Buttó has compiled victories at every level of professional baseball, from the Dominican Summer League through MLB. His major league win total grew steadily after his 2022 debut, with his strongest season coming in 2024, when he posted a 7–3 record for the Mets.
New York Mets Highlights
Buttó’s first major league victory came during his initial call-up period with the Mets, and he added to that total during each subsequent season in Queens. His 2024 campaign was his most productive, finishing 7–3 with a 2.55 ERA across 37 appearances. He recorded his first career save on July 10, 2024, in a 6–2 win over the Washington Nationals, capping a stretch in which he was used in high-leverage relief spots.
Other Wins and Performances
In the minor leagues, Buttó regularly piled up innings and strikeouts while gradually improving his win totals. He won six games for Double-A Binghamton in 2022 and posted a winning record for parts of three seasons in the lower affiliates. After being traded to the Giants, he picked up two more wins in 21 appearances during the second half of 2025.
José Buttó Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public details about Buttó’s immediate family are limited. He was raised in Venezuela and signed with the Mets in 2017, beginning his professional journey away from home.
Personal Life
Buttó is married. He and his wife, Emely, have a son named Allan. The family has been based in the United States during his major league career with the Mets and the Giants.
2025 Season Performance
Buttó opened 2025 on the Mets’ Opening Day roster and served as a dependable swingman in New York’s pitching staff. He was placed on the injured list in July due to an illness, then returned after three scoreless rehabilitation appearances split between the Florida Complex League Mets and the Syracuse Mets. In 34 games with the Mets, he went 3–2 with a 3.64 ERA, one save, and 41 strikeouts across 47 innings of work.
On July 30, 2025, Buttó was traded to the San Francisco Giants along with Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell for Tyler Rogers. He adapted quickly to his new organization, going 2–1 with a 4.50 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 20 innings in 21 appearances to close out the year.
Looking ahead, Buttó was expected to play a meaningful role in the Giants’ bullpen plans for 2026, but a blood clot surgery in April ended his season before it truly began. His long-term outlook with San Francisco will hinge on a full recovery and a return to the strike-throwing form he displayed during his best work in New York.