3 lower-cost NY Mets options to replace Daniel Vogelbach on the roster

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The New York Mets finally did it. It took Billy Eppler stepping down from the general manager role for the Mets to move on from Daniel Vogelbach. He was one of five players the team didn't tender a contract to. Certainly worth celebrating for a variety of reasons, the next step is to find a way to fill the now vacant roster spot.

Because Vogelbach’s role with the Mets was a bit unique in the worst way (a DH who doesn’t hit against lefties?), finding a direct replacement is unnecessarily dumb. However, a left-handed bat on the bench who can give them regular DH at-bats, does seem like a logical addition for the ball club to make.

There are obvious candidates like Shohei Ohtani out there. What about some of those lower-cost options available in free ageny? Let’s explore those guys who can help round out the roster without costing a fortune.

1) Brandon Belt

The longtime San Francisco Giants first baseman and occasional left fielder is coming off of a really good year with the Toronto Blue Jays just one season after he looked cooked in San Francisco. He played last season making $9.3 million for the Blue Jays and should be in the market to make around the same, if not maybe more this year.

Belt slashed .254/.369/.490 in 404 plate appearances for the Blue Jays. He hammered 19 home runs and added 23 doubles. If there’s one thing to fear it’s the 34.9% strikeout rate.

The Blue Jays barely played Belt versus lefties with only 39 of his 2023 plate appearances coming versus southpaws. Against righties, he hit a cool .256/.375/.515. In the limited action against lefties he wasn’t overly outmatched. Belt still batted .235/.308/.265.

Around $10 million might be a bit much for Belt if he is indeed limited to facing mostly righties and playing first base. He is probably the most direct replacement for Vogelbach in terms of what the Mets wanted from him during his year and a half with the team. Some other free agents out there could be more affordable than Belt.

Verdict: If the Mets are looking for a left-handed hitter for the bulk of DH at-bats, Belt is the guy to get. It’s not the most desirable and yet it does open the possibility of pairing him with a variety of right-handed hitters.

2) Trey Mancini

Trey Mancini was a match for the Mets last offseason. In fact, it seems like he has been a rumored target of the team since the 2022 trade deadline. Mancini never did make his way to Queens. He spent last year with the Chicago Cubs hitting .234/.299/.336. He clobbered only 4 home runs in 263 trips to the plate.

Mancini ended up as a trade deadline casualty via DFA. He latched onto the Cincinnati Reds for a week in late August but never played in an actual major league game.

In terms of cost, Mancini’s stock is way down. For a major league job, settling on a $1 million contract might be all there is for him at this stage of his career.

The Mets would be buying low on Mancini which may feel a bit icky with Steve Cohen in charge. This does seem like the kind of offseason where the ball club will look for some bargains. Mancini will be one for any team willing to give him another shot.

Verdict: Mancini is a low-cost option for sure. The downside is he might just be taking away a roster spot from a more intriguing player on the rise like Mark Vientos.

3) Joey Gallo

Until he finally hangs up his cleats, the market for free agent Joey Gallo will always be a strange one. He is the ultimate all or nothing type of player. It was as true as always last season with the Minnesota Twins.

In 332 plate appearances, Gallo hit .177/.301/.440 for Minnesota. He had 21 home runs, 40 RBI, and 142 strikeouts. The last time he hit over .200 in a season was way back in 2019 when he somehow had a .253 batting average for the year. The explanation is pretty easy. He appeared in only 70 games.

Gallo is a different player from Vogelbach. He has two Gold Gloves in his past to prove it. At the plate, they don’t have much in common either. In fact, Gallo had a slightly better batting average and OBP versus lefties last season than righties (.180/.305 vs. .177/.300).

It’s easy to dismiss Gallo as an option for the Mets at all. But as a still capable defensive player, it’s not as if we’d be waiting around for the occasional long home run. He can do a little more. Some fans may partially view him as the positional version of Sonny Gray who can’t handle New York. Frankly, Gallo is probably going to be a .210 hitter at best anywhere he goes.

Verdict: Gallo’s weaknesses are too glaring and constant. The Mets need more of a sure thing to replace Vogelbach in whatever way you want to look at the void left by his departure. Gallo’s ability to play the outfield is nice, however, the team can find that elsewhere. No thank you.

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