3 Mets players we’ll be glad are gone, 2 we’ll wish they brought back

We’ll wish Tommy Pham came back

The one move last offseason that seemed to get lambasted most was the signing of veteran outfielder Tommy Pham. How soon we forget. By the time we got to June, Pham was a fan-favorite and one of the best hitters on the team.

The ability to play all three outfield positions and a track record of hitting well against lefties made him an ideal fit for the team. In 2024, he could have just as easily returned and been an affordable starting left fielder.

Amazingly, Pham remains unsigned with less than three weeks before the season opens. A productive playoff performance apparently wasn’t enough for teams to willingly accept whatever kind of offer he’s seeking this offseason. A quick guess is that Pham hoped to get much more than the one-year deal worth $6 million he signed with the Mets last year. Unfortunately, the market hasn’t been kind to older position players.

As a fourth outfielder, Pham could’ve been a good fit for the Mets in 2024. Destined to sign for less than Harrison Bader, he’d be a solid option to have in left field on a regular basis and allow the Mets to increase their budget elsewhere. He brought a gritty attitude to the field and because he had the numbers to back it up, fans embraced him for the brief period he called Citi Field home. Getting the team to work harder will forever be his greatest contribution.