How are these 3 Mets free agent alternatives they skipped to sign Harrison Bader doing?

Of all the offseason decisions the New York Mets made, no signing looked like a larger overpay than giving Harrison Bader $10.5 million. The oft-injured outfielder with an excellent glove and questionable bat was a fine addition, but the price didn’t seem to match his track record.

Well, two months later, Bader has been worth the cash. One of the most consistent and clutch Mets hitters on the roster, he has played his typical brand of Gold Glove-caliber defense all while challenging for the team’s batting title. Bader heads into the doubleheader against the Los Angeles Dodgers hitting .279/.329/.361 with 2 home runs and 16 RBI. Fresh off his clutch 3 RBI game on Sunday, he’ll look to continue the momentum further.

There were tons of Mets rumors in the offseason about who they would eventually sign to fill a vacant outfield spot whether it was in left field or center field. Did the Mets pick the right guy? A look at some Bader alternatives suggests they did.

1) Adam Duvall

Adam Duvall always seemed like a solid fit for the Mets. Whether in center field or left field, he was one of those guys many predicted would end up in Queens. Instead, for just $3 million, Duvall agreed to rejoin the Atlanta Braves for a season.

Far cheaper than Bader, one could whip out the “you get what you pay for” phrase here. Duvall has been in a platoon with former Mets prospect Jarred Kelenic this year. While it has helped the young lefty-swinging outfielder avoid facing southpaws, regular at-bats against lefties hasn’t done Duvall many favors.

The veteran outfielder is batting .209/.303/.407 in 99 plate appearances for Atlanta. He has hit 5 home runs and driven in 13. A pair of those home runs came in the last two games.

Duvall should see his playing time increase with Ronald Acuna Jr. out for the season. Right field is now open and his positional versatility should have him as a top candidate for more starts. Will more action help him get anywhere close to what Bader has done?

2) Michael A. Taylor

The most direct comparison to Bader was free agent Michael A. Taylor whom the Mets did show rumored interest in. A low batting average guy who can win a Gold Glove, he stood out a little more because of the power he put on display in 2023 as a member of the Minnesota Twins. Taylor was coming off of a 21 home run campaign albeit just a .220/.278/.442 slash line. He’d end up with the Pittsburgh Pirates for $4 million. Once again, it’s looking like the Mets were right to go in a different direction.

Now 134 plate appearances into his season, Taylor is batting .208/.258/.267 with a single home run. He has driven in 9 and stolen 3 bases. Even at such a seemingly affordable rate, this would have been an unacceptable outcome if he was posting these kinds of numbers as a member of the Mets.

The offensive output is down, but Taylor has been an excellent defender as usual. It does little to satisfy. When your OBP and slugging percentage looks more like a batting average, you have problems.

There is no question the Mets were right to let Taylor linger on in free agency. The sudden surge in power last year probably had more to do with the ballpark he played in rather than an added skill to his arsenal. Having struck out in 35.8% of his plate appearances, Taylor is a K machine without the power to match.