TODAY: Speaking to reporters (including Newsday’s Tim Healey) on Saturday, Van Wagenen didn’t say whether Lowrie was still suffering from only his hamstring problem, or if he was dealing with a re-aggravation of his original knee issue, or another injury altogether. “I’m not going to get into any more details beyond the fact that his left side needs to be working in concert with each other,” the Mets GM said. “The knee to the hamstring, we want to make sure that the kinetic chain is working together and that his posture and his functionality is working.”
THURSDAY: Infielder Jed Lowrie was one of the Mets’ most significant acquisitions of the winter, when they signed the former Athletic to a two-year, $20MM contract. Lowrie still hasn’t debuted with his new club since suffering a knee strain in February, though, and his return to the majors isn’t on the horizon.
Although Lowrie’s knee has healed, he incurred a hamstring strain last month that continues to prevent him from taking the field. Updating Lowrie’s status Thursday, Mets manager Mickey Callaway said the 35-year-old is “not close” to embarking on a rehab assignment, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.
Durability issues have been all too common for Lowrie since he began his career with the Red Sox in 2008, though he enjoyed healthy seasons in Oakland from 2017-18. During that two-year period, the switch-hitting Lowrie appeared in 310 of a possible 324 regular-season games, amassed 1,325 plate appearances and slashed .272/.356/.448 (121 wRC+) with 37 home runs. Going by fWAR (8.5), Lowrie was the league’s third-most valuable second baseman in his final two seasons with the A’s.
Lowrie parlayed his late-career renaissance into his high-paying deal with the Mets, who were expecting more of the same. Whether it was a wise allocation of resources on rookie general manager Brodie Van Wagenen’s part is debatable. After all, the Lowrie signing came on the heels of the acquisitions of two other infielders – Robinson Cano and J.D. Davis – and the Mets also had Jeff McNeil and Todd Frazier on hand to compete for second and third base spots. As it turns out, the currently injured Cano has been among the Mets’ biggest disappointments this season, while Davis, McNeil and Frazier (especially McNeil) rank as three of their most productive contributors.
The Mets’ major commitment to Cano and the success Davis, McNeil and Frazier have enjoyed further call into question how Lowrie will fit on their roster if he does return. He’s not going to usurp first base from NL Rookie of the Year favorite Pete Alonso, nor does Lowrie seem likely to take over shortstop (where he hasn’t played extensively since 2014) for Amed Rosario. Meanwhile, the Mets have two cornerstone corner outfielders in Michael Conforto and Brandon Nimmo (also injured), and first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith has been tremendous in a part-time role.
I think Dominic Smith is the real deal. To me, Alonso is locked at 1B. Rosario is locked at SS. Conforto and the aforementioned Smith get outfield spots. McNeil has to play regularly, whether it is 2B,3B or OF.
So I am thinking trade Todd Frazier while he is on a good spurt. Mets are stuck with Cano (but play him part-time in 2020) and maybe even Lowrie gets traded in the off-season, if there is any market for him. Conforto, McNeil and Smith would be one sorry defensive outfield. But McNeil, Lowrie and Cano could divide up the 2B and 3B at-bats next year and McNeil can also play LF with Smith resting. The point is the Mets need a star CF and to trade Frazier and Nimmo for whatever salary savings or scraps they can get. I think the Mets keep their pitching, and if Lowrie is still injured, maybe only Frazier moves this summer. Really like Smith and McNeil to play almost every game.
It would be nice to see the Mets cut their losses with Cano after the season and just release him. Either way they have to pay him, but when he’s on the field, he actually hurts the team.
I do not disagree but that simply will not happen. Best thing – but it would be unethical – would be if they gave him an imaginary reason for an extended IL stint. Maybe the rest would help him a little bit and he is helping no one the way that he is playing. But I want to see Lowrie play OK before before cutting Cano this year anyway.
The Mets only owe cano 12 per. If they eat 5-6 million of that, a team would take him to DH, especially if there is an NL DH next year.
Actually, the Mets owe Cano $19 million per year. And thats a 5-year commitment (including this year):
He makes $24M per, and Seattle sends the Mets $25M total over time. They gave $5M up front plus another $5M for this year. Then $3.75M per year for the next four years.
The Mets unloaded the $36 million remaining on Bruce’s contract. So some writers got creative with their math and suggested that Cano only “costs” the Mets $12M per year, on balance. But if the Mets release Cano, the Mets are on the hook for $19 mil per year, not $12 mil..
Hope Cano goes to Tampa Bay and has Wade Boggs type finish for career.
God rest his soul.
More “met math” lol.
They owe Cano 19-20.75 million a year buddy.
Seattle took Bruce and swarzaks contacts.
No one would take Cano for a third of what the Mets owe him, well maybe one GM is dumb enough but Brodie can’t trade him to himself
It’s Mutt Meth Math…..
I’d be happy to see him go. That said, I don’t know that a release is necessary to accomplish that: He was a productive player last year, and had a reasonably productive April this season. His numbers declined in May, But someone might rationalize that it was related to his injury. (I don’t believe so – I think his bat has simply slowed down and the league knows it. But others might rationalize differently). A few “ifs” here, but if he comes back soon and produces before the trade deadline, the Mets might still be able to get a little something back for him if they are willing to eat a big chunk (read: 70-80%) of his contract.
It would still be addition by subtraction as it would open up more playing time for Davis and McNeil at their [more] natural positions.
Who on earth would want Frazier or Nimmo? Sorry fella they’re stuck with Cano, Frazier, and Lowrie. Dom Smith is no outfielder, and should be dealt to an AL team.
Another poster reminded me that there is a chance NL will have a DH soon. I do not the DH for the NL, but they are right that it is possible. And Dominic Smith needs more playing time to show he is for real before another team will offer much for him.
Nimmo has a 400 obp last year and this year he was playing with a neck injury he’s still young so yeah someone would take a chance on him
Lowrie gave off the warning flags early on during his career that he wasn’t going to be able to stay on the field for a sustainable period and nothing ever changed. he’d finally put up 1 healthy season, then have 2 more wracked with injuries and some team would throw away millions on him for some reason. This guy has missed years during his career from broken bones to Mononucleosis. It’s not going to change after 13y on various DL lists. Why the mets gave him yet another pile of millions is beyond me hoping for a change.
Don’t forget Cess!
Cespedes won’t ever play again. Sorry, a lot.
I give Cespedes a better than 50% chance of playing again. But not by Opening Day 2020. I like Conforto, McNeil and Smith. If only one of them could play a competent center-field. Marcell Ozuna and Adam Eaton are possibly free agents. Eaton has had a lot of injuries though.
The Mets would’ve been better off making no moves at all this offseason. Swarzak is dominating out of the Braves bullpen and Jay Bruce is destroying baseballs in Philly. Those were the throw ins in the Cano trade to offset salary. This could go down as the worst trade in baseball history
But the M’s got nothing for Bruce or Swarzak. The prospect has not broken out as an ace either. Not even close to the worst ever. Just look at the Archer trade or Gerrit Cole trade to see worse deals the past couple of years.
You’re right that this isn’t anywhere close to ‘worst ever’. But don’t we know by now that any time we see “worst ever” on the internet, its simply means ‘not good’ or ‘below average’?
You’re being a, little hard on the Mariners’ return. First off, you’re forgetting Jarred Kelenic, who was the real stud in that trade. He’s only 19 and he’s already tearing it up in advanced-A where he’s 3.5 years younger than league average, and most likely one of the yuoungest players in that league.
And who says Dunn has to “break out as an ace” to be worthwhile? He’s struck out 72 in just 59 IP. His walks and HRs are down and his numbers across the board are better this season than the ones he posted after last year’s mid-season promotion to AA. Bot are on track for a (or another) promotion this season.
An equal part to the deal from Seattle’s perspective was the salary they dumped with Cano. With the talent swapped it might not be talked about as possibly the worst deal ever, but money wise this certainly has the potential to be in the all time talk. This is looking like an even bigger gaffe than when the White Sox took Alex Rios off of the Blue Jays hands.
C’mon, Mets have done worse! How about December 1971 when they traded some guy named Nolan Ryan and three others to the now-Anaheim Angels in exchange for Jim Fregosi?
Cano will come around enough to at least euqal those two in value, and Diaz will be one of baseball’s best closers again in due time
Such optimism.
Bummed. Love Lowrie, hope he gets right. If not sis be happy to have him back on the A’s with someone else paying a lot of the salary again!
JDDavis is a stud. Cal State Fullerton!! Houston should never have traded him.
How in the world does jd Davis have a war that’s worse than Brett Gardner
Such a bummer. I was always a big fan of Lowrie as he was coming up through the Red Sox system but he could NEVER stay healthy. So much potential but the curse of being “injury prone” cut his opportunity short there.
The Only thing that has worked out for the Mets this season were JD Davis, and Ettccavarria: ALL OTHER TRADES OR FA’s HAVE BEEN A BUST!!!!
Come get him, no, seriously, please come get him.
Sincerely,
BVW
Let’s trade the young guys for old players who are Brodie’s clients. Then they can all be hurt together
Might be dreaming but As a Mets fan would love somehow to trade Cano? If San Diego is still in it in July;
Wheeler,Cano,Gsellman and $25-30 mil to San Diego for Renfroe and Mejia.
Nimmo when better and D.Smith to Cleveland for Bauer.
Would love to see an infield of Alonso,McNeil,Rosario,JD Davis and Mejia.
OF Conforto,!agares and Renfroe
Rotation. deGrom,Syn,Bauer,Matz and Kay.