3 low-cost NY Mets free agent signings whose salaries the team can afford to eat

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During the offseason, the New York Mets spent like sober sailors hoping to retire before age 60. Short contracts, many on the lower side among MLB averages, helped fill out the roster.

Nothing added to the team this offseason can be considered burdensome. In fact, three of the MLB signings are so affordable that each player should be on a short leash to begin the year.

A midseason or earlier bloodletting where the team releases players signed to major league contracts isn’t outrageous. The Philadelphia Phillies got rid of Didi Gregorius, Jeurys Familia, and Odubel Herrera at the 2022 trade deadline and ate the remainder of their contracts. The Mets have even less to pay if any of these guys fail to perform.

1) Joey Wendle

I do like the Joey Wendle addition even if his contract ended up a little higher than what the Detroit Tigers paid Gio Urshela. It's not worth griping about too extensively. Wendle is still cheap enough where the Mets can replace him if the performance isn't meeting expectations.

Wendle will assume the role held by Luis Guillorme as the roving utility infielder with a light bat. Wendle started regularly for the Miami Marlins over the last two seasons but quickly declined from the numbers he put up with the Tampa Bay Rays. Maybe it’s not just pitchers they work their potions on.

An obvious replacement for Wendle is already on the roster. If Zack Short proves to be more than a temporary waiver wire pickup, he’d be the one to take over. Having both on the team for a long period of time could quickly become redundant. Both gifted defenders who play a multitude of positions, if the team needed something else on the bench it might be time to cut one of them.

2) Jorge Lopez

Signed to a one-year $2 million contract, Jorge Lopez shouldn’t get any benefit of the doubt if he struggles on the mound early. Think of him as a pricier minor league signing who happened to make the roster. The lifetime 5.54 ERA is the kind of player he is. Other than the spectacular first half with the Baltimore Orioles in 2022, Lopez has regularly been a batting practice pitcher who struggles to get outs.

Lopez ended up pitching for three different teams last year, eventually going back to Baltimore to finish things off. He’d end the year with a 5.95 ERA in 59 innings. This is a completely different case than it is with Luis Severino. At least Severino has been one of the best in the game when healthy. Lopez has a thin resume.

It’s in the bullpen where the Mets should be especially ruthless. The lack of optional relievers makes it so they lack the flexibility to even promote a pitcher without getting a little creative. Lopez is a candidate for an early hook from the roster entirely if he fails to perform.

Believing Lopez will be anything but an innings eater out of the bullpen is optimistic. The track record makes no suggestion that he’ll suddenly figure things out under the guidance of Jeremy Hefner or hours in the pitching lab. With him, it’s a case of expecting the worst and hoping for the best.

3) Michael Tonkin

The only free agent pitcher signed to a major league deal earning less than Lopez is Michael Tonkin. Agreeing to a one-year deal worth $1 million, he’s essentially an early-arbitration eligible player on the roster without minor league options. Way less experienced than Lopez in Major League Baseball, Tonkin is coming off of a strong campaign with the Atlanta Braves as a multi-inning reliever out of their bullpen. His 80 innings in only 45 appearances shows some superb durability. Add in a 4.28 ERA and the Mets already have a decent long man.

Tonkin was better than just preventing runs. He walked batters at only a rate of 2.6 per 9 and struck out opponents at a rate of 8.4 per 9. It wasn’t a dominant contrast yet hardly far from a bad one either.

Prior to 2023, Tonkin’s lone MLB experience came with the Minnesota Twins in batches from 2013-2017. He would’ve known Hefner there as the Mets pitching coaching made the jump from Minnesota several years ago to come to Queens. Oftentimes there are players added to the roster who could be viewed as a choice by a particular front office executive or coach. Tonkin could very well be a Hefner desire.

At only $1 million, the Mets already didn't see the need to force Tonkin onto the mound any longer than necessary. He was designated for assignment on Friday to make room for Julio Teheran. Now in DFA limbo with a couple of decisions ahead for him and the team, an outright release isn't an outrageous conclusion to a failed early experiment.

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3 low-cost Mets free agent signings whose salaries the team shouldn't be afraid to eat

1) Joey Wendle

2) Jorge Lopez

3) Michael Tonkin

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