Past Mets starters known for playing two positions in their career

Bobby Bonilla

Today, Mets fans know Bobby Bonilla as “the guy we pay $1.19 million every year on July 1 until the end of time (aka 2035).” Despite this somewhat notorious reputation, Bonilla actually enjoyed a fruitful Mets career in which he regularly played both third base and the outfield. This stemmed from his earlier playing days with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he split his time between third base and the outfield. He played in New York from 1992-1995 and returned to the team for one year in 1999.

Bonilla’s tenure as a Met began mostly as an outfielder, where he played 121 games in 1992. Beginning in 1993, the Amazins used him more and more at third base, and he played 53 games at the hot corner that season. Despite this increased playing time at third, Bonilla made the All-Star team in ’93 as an outfielder.

By 1995, Bonilla’s role in Queens had begun to slightly favor third base, though he continued to start a sizable amount of games in the outfield. His offense had also become more potent with each year he spent as a Met, which culminated in a .329 batting average with 28 home runs and 99 RBI when the season concluded. He made the All-Star team again that year, this time as a third baseman, giving Bonilla the unique title of the only Met to appear in multiple All-Star games at different positions.

His time in New York ended shortly after this All-Star game, however, when he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles on July 28. While in Queens, Bonilla had received a lot of flack from New York fans and media members for not living up to his Mets contract, which at the time made him the richest man in baseball.

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Despite his initial under-performance in 1992, Bonilla finished his Mets career as a versatile defender and solid hitter, whom the Mets are still paying to this day.