Mets news you may have missed: Spring training, contracts, and center fielders

Ready for the spring? Let’s dive into another week of New York Mets news you may have missed!

Leading up to the pitchers and catchers report date on Feb 17, the front office worked overtime to cap off one of the franchise’s most active offseasons in recent memory with a slew of signings to shore up the lower rungs of their depth charts.

Last week, they left no stone unturned when fortifying the team’s bench with the signings of defensive star Albert Almora Jr. and super utility player Jonathon Villar; in addition to rumors they inquired about a star third baseman.

Evidently this work pace did not slow down over the weekend, as the Mets signed yet another back-up center fielder this week. As a result, the roster has never been filled with more star talent or lined with veteran reserves to step up to the plate when needed.

An abundance of Mets center fielders

On the surface, this offseason seems to have concluded with the signing of CF Kevin Pillar who is a much better option than OF Jackie Bradley Jr. in terms of his price tag and versatility. That much I think most fans could agree on before getting into whether the team even needed another back-up centerfielder.

On Feb 15, the Mets organization inked Pillar to a one-year, $5 million deal with an option for an additional year worth the same base. The California native is a great defensive centerfielder and a nightmare for left-handed pitching, slashing .342/.390/.579 against southpaws in 82 plate appearances last season.

In 46 games split between starts in CF and RF, he also recorded 98 putouts in 104 chances, which is just a small glimpse of his defensive prowess. His strength in the outfield also negates Bradley’s only attribute the Mets could have used his services for.

Plus, he’s already played with some of his new teammates during his journeyman career.

But adding another outfielder could mean a trade is in the works – with an outfielder as the centerpiece.

Heading into the season, the Mets projected starting outfield includes: Brandon Nimmo in center, Michael Conforto in right and Dominic Smith in left. While Almora Jr. is a strong defender, Pillar is the more experienced player and more versatile with his bat and glove.

Interestingly, the front office has already put out there that they are ‘not done’ yet with exploring trades and/or free agent shopping.

Surely Pillar is not who GM Zack Scott meant when he said this – and woe to us all if he was.

However, if they are looking for that last ‘big’ move to upgrade third base or supplement their bullpen, then Nimmo seems to be the most value the Mets could offer in a blockbuster-type deal.

Although this move would potentially even-out their lefty-dominated outfield with Almora Jr. and Pillar (who are the only right-hand hitting outfielders) filling Nimmo’s absence, it would leave them without a consistent lead-off hitter who is known for drawing a ton of walks.

With Training Camps having opened this week, the Mets do not appear to be slowing down. And regardless if another ‘big’ move is necessary, I’d be willing to predict that any potential trade package currently being considered would leave one of these outfielders on the chopping block.

Although the Mets focused much of their time and attention on other areas of the field this winter, it’s possible that a strong spring training from the list of pitchers on their non-roster invitees list could make a tangible difference in how they finalize their bullpen.

Veteran LHP Jerry Blevins immediately draws the eye when thinking of a reliable southpaw to bring in late in games. Entering his age 37 season, however, it will be interesting to see how he performs in crowded camp as he trains for a spot on the major league roster. Same goes for RHP Jerad Eickhoff, RHP Trevor Hildenberger.

Conversely, RHP Oscar De La Cruz, RHP Arodys Vizcaíno, RHP Ryley Gilliam, RHP Jared Robinson, and LHP Tom Windle each bring a range of minor league experience that could prove useful to the team and generate healthy competition.

The Mets also signed LHP Mike Montgomery and RHP Tommy Hunter to minor league deals with invites to spring training.

Regardless of who earns the remaining spots on the roster, one positive I can see is that the Syracuse Mets will be loaded with MLB experience this season; so that even after camps close, the front office will still have options if/when injuries force some players on the IL, which inevitably happens.

Case in point: due to the news released earlier this week about a “loose body” in Seth Lugo’s right elbow, the Mets learned that they would be without their star reliever until earliest, May.

The follow-up news that ace reliever Trevor Rosenthal signed with the Oakland Athletics on a one-year, $11 million dollar deal meant another option the Mets had been linked to was off the table. As a result, the stale rumors that Jeurys Familia and Dellin Betances were being shopped around seems like any such deal would do more harm than good with so many of their bullpen options dwindling.

In hindsight, it also doesn’t help that they designated Corey Oswald and Brad Brach for assignment just before Lugo was shut down. Both were leaned on heavily to carry the load during their two seasons in New York.

Fortunately, the front office has kept tabs on two of the top remaining starting pitchers on the market, SP Taijon Walker and SP Jake Odorizzi. And never has it seemed so necessary that they sign at least one of those pitchers. As it stands today, the front office has about $20 million in payroll to maneuver below the luxury tax.

Despite pitchers and catchers having already reported this week, I expect the front office has one or more moves up their sleeves. Signing Walker or Odorizzi should be that move.

It’s important to consider that no matter what happens during the weeks leading up to Opening Day, it has been an incredible offseason for the Mets. In fact, according to The Athletic, the orange and blue are the most bet-on team to win the World Series!

Therefore, despite missing out on a few free agents, it has to be said that the organization’s new regime has done several things right in their first offseason.

Former Mets Watch

With players all around the league still on the move, let’s take a look at where some former Mets have landed.

Apart from the team’s outlier 2015 season, recent Mets history has been a bleak one, filled with letdowns, mediocrity, and journeyman players. But with those painful memories still comes a certain degree of interest about where some of these players have ended up.

This week, fans were received such an update, as SP Matt Harvey, OF Jay Bruce, and LHP Justin Wilson all signed to new teams.

In this week’s posting of Former Mets Watch, ‘The Dark Knight’ goes to Baltimore while Bruce and Wilson switch to the dark side of the city.

In yet another team change for the Mets former ace, Harvey signed a minor league to join the Baltimore Orioles farm system. The power-hitting, Bruce also inked a new minor league deal with the New York Yankees.

Back in 2016, the Mets traded for Bruce at the Trade Deadline, hoping to get the same mid-season spark they received from their acquisition of Yoenis Cespedes the season prior. But unlike then, his acquisition did not catapult them on an incredible playoff run, nor did it carry them to their first pennant in 15 years (at the time).

Then, after a brief stint with the Cleveland Indians, he returned to New York in 2018 before being traded in the offseason as part of the infamous Edwin Diaz/Robinson Cano trade to Seattle. He soon found himself playing in Philadelphia during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Coincidently, it appears Mets fans will see him playing alongside their former left-handed reliever Wilson, who also agreed to a new deal that will see him wearing pinstripes rather than black tops this season (fingers crossed on the latter).

Updating contract extensions

Meanwhile, the Mets announced that they expect to discuss contract extensions with Michael Conforto and Francisco Lindor soon.

If the front office was serious about ‘not being done’ yet before the season starts, then these are the two deals that take priority over any other transaction.