The Mets have released outfielder Desmond Jennings, per an announcement from the team’s Triple-A affiliate. He had been playing there on a minors deal since early April.
Jennings spent the spring with the Reds, but headed back to the open market after it was decided he wouldn’t crack the Opening Day roster. He caught on with New York despite the team’s crowded outfield depth chart.
The 30-year-old Jennings — a productive regular before knee injuries intervened — slashed .237/.301/.415 over his 229 plate appearances at Las Vegas prior to his release. He did drive eight long balls, but the once-prolific base thief was just 3-for-6 in his stolen-base attempts.
In the aggregate, Jennings didn’t do enough to convince the Mets to clear a 40-man spot to add him when a need arose at the MLB level — as just occurred when Juan Lagares hit the DL. Instead, New York promoted youngster Brandon Nimmo and sent the veteran Jennings back into free agency.
Jennings was so so with Las Vegas his first game in Las Vegas was a wake up they don’t have indoor batting cages ,outside the stadium one player told him welcome to the minors
What?
Squirrel.
Sad to see how his career tailed off so quickly. His last good season was 2014 and that was when he was 27yrs-old. Prior to that, he was a pretty consistent with 2.5 – 3.5 WAR annually.
I still remember the story surrounding Jennings to be ‘Will Jennings be able to fill the void left behind by Carl Crawford?” And I think that answer was a resounding yes.
Note:
He would turn 28yrs-old after the conclusion of the 2014 season.
Much like Crawford (and other players such as Grady Sizemore), Jennings’ once promising career was derailed by injuries.
Hearing (reading) Grady Sizemore’s name just makes me sad. As baseball fans, we really missed out on what could have been a fantastic player
I guess Nimmo really showed them what he could do well (sit on the bench). Hahahahaha
The Mets have no need for an aging corner OF. They need a young fast defensive CF and replacements for the entire IF.
I don’t really consider 30, as aging. Knee injuries did him in. Not too long ago, he was a key cog for TB, batting lead off.
I can’t agree more
Can they really afford to get rid of an outfielder when they have Lagares out and they are trying to go easy on Conforto and Cespedes. I know Jennings doesn’t offer much but I thought they would want to keep just anyone who could fill in if someone else gets injured
“TC’s” game plan is to play aces and Conforto every day. “These guys are my horses. I’m going to ride them hard. If they get injured, so be it. Look at what a man our shortstop is. Beat up his thumb. Did that stop me from playing him hard? If they want to do it another way, let them find a new manager.”
This guy has got a major hard on for the major of a team he doesn’t even root for.
Jennings, Crawford, Upton… same scout? All similar stories.
Jennings has a much shorter period of being a quality regular than those 2. Upton and Crawford never had injury issues in comparison to Jennings during their Rays tenure. Not sure I see any similarities other than former Rays.
If you’re a Mets fan, my condolences. The team’s management is a disaster.
Yep. Could be worse.