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How 3 Mets free agent DH targets are performing in 2023
The New York Mets had what appeared to be an excellent offseason. Appearances can be deceiving. It’s now June and the team is in meltdown mode with the current Houston Astros series as a test of whether or not it’s a lost season.
Players and coaches have taken turns getting a verbal and digital lashing from the fans. Only Billy Eppler has continually been the victim of second-guessing and jabs from the loyal Mets fans who expected a lot more from this ball club.
With help from an endless supply of Steve Cohen wealth, the Mets were able to outspend everyone else. Unfortunately, the decision to keep Daniel Vogelbach hurt the team’s pursuit of DH upgrades. He has played well since returning from his mental break, but we shouldn’t get too secure with him on the roster. After all, the team is only 2-2 and is fresh off a series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals at home.
For each of these three DH targets, it was an easy “pass” because playing time would have been limited in Queens. Worst of all, each is having a pretty awesome season.
1) NY Mets rumors we wish came true: Signing J.D. Martinez
The Mets were fully loaded to pursue J.D. Martinez at last year’s trade deadline. Too high of an asking price plus some concerns about his back led them to look elsewhere. We know the end result of what happened there.
Mets rumors linking them to Martinez in the offseason returned as they surely realized the offense wasn’t good enough. The team eventually settled on an Opening Day roster with the addition of Tommy Pham and Tim Locastro as they waited a few more weeks before calling up the kids.
Martinez is the kind of player who, when he appears in Mets rumors, can divide fans. A pure DH at this point of his career, his lack of fielding wouldn’t have ever made much sense for the Mets after picking up the option on Vogelbach. Having one part-time DH is rough enough on a roster. Two is shooting yourself in the foot.
Nonetheless, swapping Vogelbach for Martinez would’ve been a major upgrade. Martinez settled on signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers for a one-year deal worth $10 million. Through 239 plate appearances, Martinez is a .257/.301/.578 hitter. Where he has earned his money is with the power. He has 18 doubles, 16 home runs, and 48 RBI. He is striking out at a career-high of 29.7% but who cares when a guy is providing the lineup with as much power as Martinez has?
2) NY Mets rumors we wish came true: Signing Andrew McCutchen
Hometown hero Andrew McCutchen returned to the Pittsburgh Pirates this offseason but not before he headlined some offseason Mets rumors. An alternative option to signing Pham, McCutchen has trended more toward regular DH duties yet he’s far more capable of playing a corner outfield spot than Martinez. He would have been a nice everyday DH with the ability to occasionally play left field or even right field. Starling Marte and him would have reunited in New York and we’d be wondering when the parade would take place in October or early November, right?
Based on how McCutchen has performed with the Pirates, it’s definitely unfortunate the Mets didn’t land him. One-year deal worth $5 million was all it cost Pittsburgh to reunite with the beloved star.He has been worth the money with an early .264/.385/.425 performance through 260 plate appearances. McCutchen has 7 doubles, 9 home runs, and 24 RBI as well. Limited to just 7 starts so far in right field, he’s practically a pure DH.
One of the big reasons why McCutchen went to the Pirates instead of the Mets was the opportunity to play. While Pham has ended up playing a lot more than I think any of us expected thanks to his possession of one of the hottest bats on the roster, it was no sure bet as players like him and McCutchen searched for a job. McCutchen would have started every day against lefties to start the season. He would have been required to earn more versus right-handed pitchers, or at least wait until Vogelbach lost those opportunities.
3) NY Mets rumors we wish came true: Signing Justin Turner
The case to sign J.D. Martinez was divisive. Pursuing Andrew McCutchen had fans pretty much unified as he seemed to fit exactly what they could use. When it came to Justin Turner, many of us didn’t get all that excited about seeing him headline any of those offseason free agent Mets rumors.
There was a point when the Mets reportedly did consider signing him. Turner ended up with the Boston Red Sox where he has dazzled while taking home $8.3 million from the Red Sox this season with a player option to earn $13.4 million next season.
Turner already has 10 home runs and 37 RBI this year in 298 plate appearances. Slashing .277/.352/.447 for the BoSox, he has helped ignite a lineup that didn’t look all too powerful coming into the year. They’ve used him mostly as a DH but also handed him a few starts at first base and even less at third base where he may have gotten too old to play regularly.
Turner has turned out to be one of the better free agent signings of the winter in terms of dollar and value. He has helped give them a strong identity and kept them well within reach of a playoff spot.
Returning to the Mets would have had plenty of poetry as he is often regarded as one of the players the team foolishly gave up on too quickly. Yes, indeed. It was the very next year in 2014 when Turner became one of the core pieces of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Now he’s helping the Red Sox win games. He would’ve been a great and experienced winner to have.
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