15 worst free agent signings in Mets history

Division Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v New York Mets - Game Four
Division Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v New York Mets - Game Four / Elsa/GettyImages
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3) NY Mets worst free agent signing: Jed Lowrie

How do you even rate the Jed Lowrie signing? Seriously. It has to be the worst because of how little he played. It isn’t, though. At least he didn’t do damage to anything other than the payroll and the reputation of Brodie Van Wagenen.

Lowrie signed with the Mets after an All-Star season in 2018. An odd fit for the club in the first place, he suffered a preseason injury that knocked him out of action for all but 8 plate appearances in 2019. Each of them was a pinch-hitting performance. He struck out 4 times and walked once.

The deal wasn’t just a one-year contract either. Nope. Van Wagenen gave his former client a two-year deal worth $20 million. In 2020, Lowrie didn’t play a single game.

Somehow, Lowrie recovered from his injury and managed to play in 139 games for the 2021 Oakland Athletics. He’s on them again in 2022 and getting regular opportunities.

The Lowrie signing is one of the all-time modern Mets jokes. Even the most loyal fans have to laugh at what it meant for the team. It’s rare for a player to sign such a lucrative deal and completely disappear. This signing alone should ensure BVW never gets hired as a general manager ever again.