Solid bridge free agent for the NY Mets signs elsewhere, likely confirming LF plans

Austin Hays could have been a good match for the 2026 New York Mets. A starting left fielder option to begin the year, he would have helped bridge the gap until Carson Benge took over full time duties. At some point, the Mets abandoned all hope of signing him.

Instead, Hays lands with the Chicago White Sox on a one-year deal worth $6 million. Because of where he went and got what the Mets are doing instead, it seems like a situation where the match never took place due to both sides preferring a different direction.

Hays gets an unlimited leash on a ball club with a puncher's chance at finishing with a .500 record. The Mets move forward with Brett Baty as the Benge backup plan in left field, just in case he doesn’t make the team out of camp.

The Mets and Austin Hays were a good match neither side seemed committed to

For one of the same reasons why Harrison Bader never felt destined to return to the Mets, Hays probably thought twice about it. His reputation as a right-handed hitter who mashes lefties makes him a good match in a platoon. On a temporary basis, you can play him everyday if there's a solution around the corner. Bader would have joined the Mets with some of those same whispers of getting replaced by Benge, in an alternative universe, over in center field.

Had he signed with the Mets, they could have started him in left field and the moment Benge is ready, those at-bats disappear. As a right-handed hitter alongside Benge, they might have even made for an ideal full-season platoon at some point.

The Mets bench remains one of the more questionable parts of the roster. As it currently stands, they have Luis Torrens and Tyrone Taylor, as long as Baty is the legitimate starting left fielder. There’s a spot for a player like Ronny Mauricio. Then comes the question of whether they want to round out the roster with an additional infielder or outfielder.

Hays was never getting more than a one-year deal this offseason nor does he feel like an exceptionally desirable player in the future. He is what he is and that’s a really good platoon-type player. He’ll turn 31 this summer with an eye on putting together another strong campaign to earn himself yet another modest contract.

Last offseason, the Cincinnati Reds signed Hays to for $4 million in 2025 with a $12 million option for 2026 that included a $1 million buyout. It always seemed to be simply a $5 million contract.

It seems like, if not Hays on such a modest contract, the Mets will pass on alternative outfield options. This would include a trade possibility for Ramon Laureano. Baty really will be the left fielder on Opening Day, short of Benge making the club after an impressive spring.