4 potential Mets killers added to the NL East rival rosters this offseason

If there's one thing New York Mets fans hate, it's Mets killers. Players who seem to be at the top of their game when they face the Mets more than against any other team.

Paul DeJong has had trouble hitting throughout much of his career, but he has more career home runs against the Mets than he does against the Brewers despite playing most of his career in the NL Central. One of the more popular Met killers in recent years is Daniel Murphy, a former Mets postseason hero who destroyed them every chance he got in Washington. We can even dig a bit deeper and look at Adeiny Hechavarria, a player who was released by the Mets right before he could cash in on a roster bonus and wound up tormenting them with the Braves soon after.

The list of Mets killers is larger than any Mets fan would like to admit, and there's a good chance these four players will be the newest additions after joining the NL East.

1) Luis Guillorme

Non-tendering Luis Guillorme made a lot of sense. While his defensive versatility was always appreciated, he never quite hit enough to have a permanent roster spot and didn't have the speed to make him a very valuable bench piece. While the Joey Wendle signing was underwhelming, he's probably a better all-around player than Guillorme while offering the same versatility.

Mets fans were ready to watch their fan-favorite sign elsewhere and get a chance to potentially play more. Mets fans would've been fine with him going anywhere else, and even would've been fine with him signing with a couple of other teams in the division but the Braves of all teams? Really?

Guillorme signed a one-year deal worth $1.1 million with the Braves to replace the recently-departed Nicky Lopez and Vaughn Grissom as their backup infielder. With Austin Riley, Orlando Arcia, and Ozzie Albies locked in at the positions Guillorme plays the 29-year-old likely won't play much, but we already know he's going to annoy the Mets.

Guillorme will find a way to poke a heartbreaking single through a vacant hole in the infield, perhaps past Joey Wendle, to win a game for Atlanta in New York. He might even make a game-saving defensive play to rob the Mets of a key hit. We know how this works. A Mets fan-favorite putting on the uniform of a rival never ends well. We just have to hope this marriage only lasts the one year and the Braves don't find a way to get him to extend while donating a portion of his contract to their charity.

2) Jarred Kelenic

Oh boy, where do we even begin with this one. Jarred Kelenic was once a top Mets prospect, drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft and used as the centerpiece to acquire Edwin Diaz and Robinson Cano from the Mariners.

We know how the trade has worked for the Mets. Sure, Cano had his issues and Diaz had the awful 2019 season, but the Mets have the best closer in baseball while the Mariners didn't get much in return when all is said and done.

Kelenic did, however, finally look like he could be a MLB regular for the Mariners this past season, hitting 11 home runs and stealing 13 bases in 105 games while also putting up a 109 OPS+. At just 24 years old Kelenic was improving and looking like a future centerpiece for the Mariners, right? RIGHT?

Not exactly. The Braves swooped in early this offseason and acquired Kelenic as part of a salary dump. Atlanta took on the salaries of Marco Gonzales and Evan White and in exchange got to acquire their left fielder of the future for virtually nothing.

Kelenic did not face the Mets once when he was with the Mariners, but with the Braves in the NL East set to duel 13 times annually, fans will get ready to boo a player they were once so excited about. Guillorme won't play much, but Kelenic will get the chance to play early and often for Atlanta. There's every reason to believe he'll be as successful against the Mets as the rest of his teammates are.

3) Chris Sale

What do you know, another Atlanta Brave? Part of the reason why this list is dominated by Braves players has to do with the rest of the NL East being relatively inactive, but part of it also has to do with the players the Braves acquired being protypical Mets killers.

Guillorme and Kelenic had a bit of emotion behind them due to their Mets ties, but Sale feels like a Mets killer based on the pitcher he is. A funky left-hander who might not be as overpowering as he once was, but can still pitch well in big games.

Once again, the Mets struggled against left-handed pitching this past season, putting up a 96 WRC+ which was tied for 20th in the majors. While they hit for solid power against left-handed pitching, the Mets ranked 28th in the majors with a .237 batting average and tied for 24th with a .310 OBP. Not good!

While he's battled through injury issues with Boston and was not at the top of his game this past season, Sale in Atlanta feels like the next Charlie Morton. The Braves will inevitably find a way to rejuvenate his career and have him pitch particularly well against the Mets. It's possible that the Mets could own him the way they've owned Spencer Strider, but we'd have to see it to believe it.