Power ranking the Mets 2021-22 big offseason acquistions

6. Mets free agent signing Travis Jankowski

A lost element in baseball the last several years has been a purpose of speed. And the Mets envisioned Jankowski to be the team’s speedster that can come off the bench to pinch run or be a defensive replacement in the outfield late in games.

His speed on the basepaths has been part of the realignment of feelings fans have had toward the team. He’s getting on base via infield hits (he’s got six of them already).

But did you know he is batting .321 in 28 at-bats? He has already drawn four walks and has only struck out twice. Jankowski’s tough and productive at-bats have been part of the game plans Buck Showalter and his staff have envisioned with him on the active roster.

Jankowski’s speed has impacted games everywhere he has gone. He had a 30-stolen base season with the Padres in 2016, went 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts with the Phillies in 2021 before he came over to the Mets.

And speaking of the Phillies, he scored the tying run as a pinch runner in the Mets’ historic 9th inning comeback on May 5 and was yet another important role player the Phillies let get away. The Mets must be glad that they took a chance on him, while Mets fans are happy that he played well enough to survive last week’s roster cut.