1:10pm: Panik’s going to the Mets, Heyman tweets. They just have to clear a roster spot for him.
10:11am: The Mets are “expected to sign” second baseman Joe Panik, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports (Mike Anthony of MetsmerizedOnline.com first reported the news). Panik will first need to clear waivers, which will occur at 1 p.m. ET, but that looks like a formality. He should join the Mets for Friday night’s game, per Andy Martino of SNY.
It’ll go down as a short stay without a team for Panik, whom the Giants designated for assignment Tuesday and then subsequently released. Because no one will take on Panik via waivers, the Giants will have to pay him the balance of his $3.8MM salary. The Mets will be able to add him for a prorated league-minimum salary.
Panik, 28, was a quality producer as a Giant from 2014-17, but his production has cratered since the beginning of last season. He has slashed just .245/.308/.325 with seven home runs in 780 plate appearances going back to 2018, giving him the majors’ fourth-worst wRC+ (72) among hitters with at least 700 PA. Panik remains a bear to strike out (9.8 K rate, 9.3 BB percentage), but that wasn’t enough to keep him in San Francisco. When the Giants acquired fellow second basemen Scooter Gennett and Mauricio Dubon at last week’s trade deadline, it sealed Panik’s fate with the franchise.
Panik, a Yonkers native who attended St. John’s University, will now try to bounce back in the familiar surroundings of New York. The Mets have an opening at second now that Robinson Cano’s dealing with a hamstring tear. The Cano injury is one of the few things to go wrong of late for the hard-charging Mets, who’ve gone from laughingstocks to serious playoff contenders in a matter of weeks. Winners of 13 of 14, the Mets suddenly own a 59-56 record and sit a mere half-game back in a congested National League wild-card race.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
No surprises here. I thought NY would take him the minute he got DFA’d.
Thanks, Nostradaumos.
They call him Sherlock for a reason
I saw what you did there lol
Meh. I know he’s a product of St. John’s (Queens), but I think I’d rather have Hechavarria playing 2B with Cano out.
Panik won 2 gold gloves. He’s far better than Hech defensively and about the same offensively.
1 gold glove
Better than gillorme and hechavaria
Panik has not played well and that’s why he’s available. With Cano hurt he is better than either Hechavarria or Guillorme.
Still won’t be enough for a wild card. Mets should have been sellers at the deadline.
Boo to this sentiment! Mets very good! No hope from Todd.
Todd76, supports the quitters mentality in professional sports. Why, the 1969 Mets never happened. The mighty 1969 World Champion Cubs proved that! Hey, wait a minute.
How about the 1986 World Champion Red Sox?
remember what George Carlin said about guys named Toddddd…..
I have to give BVW some credit. By getting Stroman for a couple borderline prospects, he has already replaced Wheeler (for whom he will get a draft pick via QO). It’s like he is trying to get an early jump on 2020..
A bold and potentially bright move for a guy who started his GM career off with an extremely questionable and high risk trade…
No chance Wheeler passes up a QO. He’s completely undeserving of that money based on his showing this season.
Very good chance he passes. More strikeouts and fewer walks than 2018. A 3.44 FIP, Looking like a strong finish as well.
You honestly think a team is going to hand Wheeler a 4+ year deal at a higher salary than the QO? He’s an injury concern and consistency is an issue. He will be offered 1-year “prove it” deals by teams and doubtful it’ll be more than the QO. Very low chance he passes it up.
I bet he is offer multi year deal
You honestly think a team is going to hand Wheeler a 4+ year deal at a higher salary than the QO?
1-He is 21-13 over the past two seasons, with a 3.69 ERA and a 3.33 FIP. He’s not going to ‘prove’ anything additional.
2-I’d bet real money he gets at least $39M/3.
Swing and a miss on this one Joe
what is funny is that people say the Mets can’t beat teams that have about the same record as them. those teams got that record by beating the bad teams too.
Harmless acquisition. Good depth addition.
Seems like a Panik move.
Original.
Well maybe Oakland can sign him this off-season and open their new ballpark with Panik at the Cisco…
That’s a good one! LOL
It’s a $150k gamble. He won’t be worse than Guillorme, and Hechevarria is 152/235/217 since the ASB (204/252/359 overall), which is worse than Panik.
If Nimmo returns, McNeil can move to 2B if Panik is below .700 OPS. But until then, the Mets don’t have a better option without Canó, Dom Smith, Nimmo and Lowrie.
I agree. Tejada and Herrera have been hot in AAA but it’s time to Panik.
They don’t want to bring those guys up until September because I don’t think they r on 40 man and don’t want to lose depth now, and don’t want to lose them should they have to designate them back before September.
as a giants fan I am glad. He is a good kid and I would have hated to see him end up in the orioles or royals for lack of a better place – nice that he gets to play at home even if it isn’t a long term thing
I’m not 100% familiar with him, does he at least play above average defense?
@Bearman
Mets need lefty bat, and Panik provides it. Smith, Cano and Nimmo are left hand hitters all on the shelf.
He also is quality defender who rarely K’s and has history of solid hitting. He’ll be inspired coming home and has the benefit of working with an excellent hitting coach in Chili Davis.
This signing would be quality Mets move. He fits. Hopefully he clears in half hour and not long later, is a NY Met. He’ll be joining an inspired Mets team on a mission to play their best in pursuit of playoff spot.
Panik is a former gold glove winner. Gained a lot of weight over the past two years and lost a lot of his range though.
Yes, hes definitely above average in defense
And his hitting slump will pass. Then he’ll win another gold glove. Giants fans love Panic and some of us disagree with what’s happened. He deserves much more respect. But it looks like this has worked out by far in his favor. His home team that’s conte ding instead of … , whatever the Giants are
I’m happy for Panic and the Mets fans will be too.
He plays Gold Glove defense. Great pickup for Mets and I’ll bet he performs well in NY. Wouldn’t be surprised if he hits better too.
@ Wolf Chan.
Die hard Mets fans will embrace him. We love blue collar players, locally raised.
He could also be here for multiple seasons if he proves valuable this, and then in offseason works to becomes versatile infield defender which shouldn’t be problem with his defensive tools and heart.
Well stated! This Giants fan was sadde ed at the shoddy way he was treated but the irony is it all works out in his favor! So glad to a Mets fan embrace him. He is all heart and gold ove defense. Congrats to Panik and the Mets.
He’s a career .271 hitter. Almost NEVER strikes out. Has won a gold glove, a great teammate and will be a happy camper in his home state of NY and yet, the Mets fans want to quote BA’s , lol. What a mess the wrong coast is.
Panik is ok. I wouldn’t call him a stud but he did come up clutch during his rookie season when the giants won the World Series. I always thought he and belt were incredibly over rated.
I pointed out in an earlier post that he leads the NL in at bats per strikeout. Has finished 1st two other times. Undeniably good batting eye.
I seriously thought they were going to plug in McNeil at 2nd for the foreseeable future after last season. Then they decided to trade for cano.
A lot of run for a guy who has been slugging in the low .300’s all year. It’s amazing how much people care about a player when they are linked to NY.
@ spooky
Superb defender, lefty hitting, lifetime .271 hitter with postseason experience who rarely k’s and plays blue collar baseball. NY embraces, blue collar locals who play their hearts out. He’ll be nice fit on-field, in clubhouse and in line up on a team with four lefty batters on the IL. – Nimmo, Smith, Lowrie, Cano, none returning anytime soon.
Panik will be energized playing for his hometown team.. Happy to sign him if that indeed happens.
I know all about Joe Panik. I’ve watched/listened to 99% of this guy’s games. Glove is still there but that .271 career hitter is looooong gone. Enjoy 4-3 rollovers and soft line outs to shallow left field.
There comes a point where clubhouse presence loses out to on-field production. Bochy ran Panik out there day in and day out because of loyalty and Panik didn’t deliver…for 2 years. I hope he turns it around but I just don’t see it.
The price is right.
I feel like the Mets shouldn’t change anything bc of the streak they are on
Should have signed T.J. Rivera instead
shouldve never let go of him to begin with
And why’s that? Injured and has yet to show anything of value since coming back. Was maybe average in an Independent league and has done nothing to note yet.
TJ Rivera was massively overrated by Mets fans. He hit for a pretty empty batting average with little power and poor defense. J.D. Davis is putting up better overall numbers filling the same roster niche that Rivera did.
Check out his stat line. Short sample but very solid. Panik is a has been with little to offer.
If his name was Pandik it would be kidnap backwards.
The Mets are taking over New York! They now are up to 3% ownage of the big apple fanbase.
Good for Joe. I think this move will re energize his bat. And he’s really good defensively. No risk pickup for the minimum.
As a Nats fan, this is too bad, since for some reason Panik has seemed to do well against us over the years. Otherwise, I’m happy for him. Good thing we already made hay with another Giant’s cast off, Parra.
Great read Connor, enjoyed it. Sad to see Panik go though :’(
Plenty of options for 40-man roster spot:
– Eric Hanhold
– Drew Gagnon
– Brooks Pounders
– Altherr (from the 25)
Good luck to Joe!! Nice to be near home, family and friends.
Panik has a lifetime .557 SLG against the Braves and a lifetime .416 OBP against the Phillies. He scored a run against us in the 2016 wild card game, has won a gold glove and been an all star and a starter on a world series champion. He’s a local guy and we signed him for the league minimum. Absolutely nothing wrong with this move at all, in fact it’s fantastic.
Good luck Joe P! You’ll always be a Giant and remembered as a classy player. Go kick some NL East butt!!!
Ahh the Mets continue their pursuit of the 2015 all star team lmao
He’s better than a poke in the eye…
They just got worse. Lol. At least the Mets no longer have Wilma Flowers.