5 former Mets player fan favorites without a job as spring training nears

Who's interested in a forced reunion?
St. Louis Cardinals v New York Mets - Game One
St. Louis Cardinals v New York Mets - Game One / Al Bello/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next

Travis Jankowski remains a free agent

One of the most unexpected fan favorites in recent memory is Travis Jankowski. A somewhat quirky fifth outfielder known for his defensive skills, he’s probably the least impactful player the fans attached themselves to. Popularity isn’t always about the box score. It certainly wasn’t the case with Jankowski who hit .167 in 63 plate appearances.

Some may forget Jankowski actually had two stints with the Mets in 2022. He was selected off of waivers on August 1 by the Seattle Mariners only to return to the Mets as a free agent on August 16 after the M’s released him. He made his way to the Texas Rangers last season and fans of his were stunned to see what he was able to do.

In 287 plate appearances, Jankowski batted .263/.357/.332 for the 2023 champions. He was present on the World Series roster, successfully driving in a pair of runs in his 8 plate appearances. He had only 2 RBI during his entire time with the Mets.

What made Jankowski popular with fans was his comments saying “No one is gonna be buying my jersey.” Then came actual t-shirts with the quote worn by teammates. Just reading this, if you’re longing for the days of how great the 2022 Mets season was, you’re not alone.