The New York Mets are entering something of a transition year.
That’s probably one of the reasons why they have been so quiet, at least in comparison to last year.
They had one main organizational objective, which was to bring in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and failed.
At this point, unless they pivot to Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, or a prime trade acquisition, it’s unlikely they make a market-breaking move.
They have, however, made a few interesting additions.
Center fielder Harrison Bader is the most recent one, announced by insiders and reporters on Thursday morning.
“Centerfielder Harrison Bader and the New York Mets are in agreement on a one-year, $10.5 million contract, a source tells ESPN. @martinonyc was on the news,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan tweeted.
Centerfielder Harrison Bader and the New York Mets are in agreement on a one-year, $10.5 million contract, a source tells ESPN. @martinonyc was on the news.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 4, 2024
Bader is still in his prime, at 29 years old.
Offensively, he has some pop and some speed, too, but his ceiling is fairly limited.
He is a career .243/.310/.396 hitter with a 92 wRC+ (below the league average of 100 wRC+).
However, his defense in center field is among the best in the game.
He is a former Gold Glove winner who remains a magician out there.
In 2023, he had four Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and nine Outs Above Average (OAA), excellent performance that gets even more impressive if you consider he played just 98 games due to injuries.
He had a down year with the bat (.622 OPS), but the Mets hope he can rebound and share the outfield with Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte.
All things considered, Bader is a solid signing for what looks like a bridge year for the Mets.
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