The Mets have agreed to a minor league deal with free-agent infielder Eduardo Nunez, according to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com. It includes a non-roster invite to Major League Spring Training.
Nunez, 32, is coming off a dreadful year that ended in July with his release from the Red Sox, with whom he had played since mid-2017. Nunez played in just 60 games for the Sox last year, and yet he accumulated -1.5 WAR thanks largely to an unsightly .228/.243/.305 batting line.
Those numbers are hard to swallow, but Nunez really isn’t that far from removed from a couple of seasons in 2016 and 2017 in which he provided above-average offensive output to go with his signature aggressive baserunning. Splitting the 2017 season between San Francisco and Boston, he posted an .801 OPS to go with 24 stolen bases. He’s never received high marks as a defender, but he’s at least capable of playing second and third base.
He will join an already crowded Mets infield mix with a chance to compete for a roster spot in the spring. The starting infield looks pretty well solidified, but Nunez may have a shot at supplanting Luis Guillorme, who’s a more polished shortstop but also has a patchy offensive track record, for bench at-bats.
Don’t lose any helmets, Nunie.
Suspiciously smart move by the much maligned Mets.
Nuney….Mr. $.10 cent head….that “smart move” will haunt the Mets…..he folds and makes silly blunders…just ask the Red Sox, or better yet, ask the Yankees. As a fill-in, part time only player for depth, maybe, but anything beyond will yield laughable results.
My opinion of course.
What part of “minor league contract” don’t you get Rocky? Sounds like you have rocks in your head mr 10 cent brain.
That part ran past over his head.
Waiting for the Mets to trade Lowrie soon now. Nuñez much better suited for the bench role. Clear some salary with Lowrie trade.
If his knee can last the season, this is a good move. That said, it’s a big if.
Lowrie’s trade value has to be pretty low since he just spent almost an entire season recovering from an injury. I don’t see any team wanting him unless the Mets pay all or most of his salary. Which defeats the purpose of getting rid of him
Trade him for Pedroia straight up
Giants seem willing to buy prospects for ugly contracts.
Why is Nunez better suited? He had a negative 1.5 WAR last year.. Lowrie is a far superior all around player.. Nunez is clearly done, cant field can’t hit… useless move… if Lowrie is out for the season he can’t be traded, if he’s healthy he’s miles better than Nunez
Always liked Nunez. Makes sense if it’s a prelude to a Lowie trade especially.
Sounds good. Let’s do it.
You probably liked him because he was making a dumb play for the other team not yours…..bat only guy that will eventually wear out his usefulness.
Other cheaper, guys that can fill a roll around the league….and they’re still committed to Lowrie aren’t they? Might be nice to get something back from the Lowrie investment after year 1 was a washout.
The deal I’ve seen suggested in the past on risingapple.com that I think could make sense is Lowrie and Gsellman [and cash] for Soria. The salaries are comparable so the Mets would not have to add more than $2M.
Are folks around here unaware of the stats of those two over the last three years? Lowrie is a much better fielder and hitter… seriously, look up Nunez’ stats and fielding metrics… he’s a disaster who’d probably have retired if the Mets didn’t sign him
@Cosmodeus – Agreed. Particularly with the unfathomable spring training invite, this feels a lot more like a favor to a friend than it does a move with the idea of making the Mets a better ballclub.
Was Nunez a Van Wagenen client?
A long time ago I read a satirical article on grantland about Nunez hitting pop ups on purpose. One of the best baseball articles I ever read, wish I had the link to share. Anyway, love the way he plays. Good luck to him
Ur an idiot if you hit pop ups on purpose
The OP said the article was satire
The higher the launch angle the better right?
Totes obvi
https://grantland.com/the-triangle/mlb-secret-scandal-eduardo-nunez-chasing-perfect-popup/
https://grantland.com/the-triangle/mlb-secret-scandal-eduardo-nunez-chasing-perfect-popup/
good value
Do I make the cliche ‘World Series here we come’ comment or…
No.
He used to be an above average major leaguer not too long ago. As a possible bench bat…plays multiple positions..has some speed… No complaints with this signing. Maybe sign Tijuan Walker for a little extra rotation depth piece with very nice upside. I want to keep Lugo in the bullpen at all costs
He’s not an above average player when it comes to baseball “smarts”…that’s for sure which is why he didn’t stick with the Red Sox….they saw what the Yankees already knew!
You’re right, there are other players who can fill a roll with the Mets effectively other than “Nuney”!
We all get it. You don’t like him.
“Used to be a major league average player not too long ago”… and now he’s not. That’s how it works. Players decline and retire. You don’t sign them cuz they used to be good. Nunez is done. Just look at his stats.
He was significantly above average literally one season. Lets not get carried away here. Hes a career below average player.
I’m assuming that this means BVW knows that he has a deal in place to unload Lowrie, unless he’s planning on stockpiling backup infielders again, as he did last year. If he wants Marte, those expendable are Nimmo, Lowrie, and prospects NOT including Mauricio, Allan, Baty, and the kid catcher, as well as NOT McNeil & Davis.
i dont see anyone taking Lowrie, nor do i see the pressure to replace him with Nunez.
Nimmo is better than Marte.
Why is this so hard for ppl to understand? Nimmo is already the better player. He’s also cheaper and entering his prime as Marte is exiting his prime.
Why not Smith and Lowrie to the Rangers for Palumbo and Kiner-Falefa??
The Mets stockpiled veteran depth last season, and I don’t see any reason why they won’t again this year. I don’t think Nuñez is necessarily intended as a Lowrie replacement.
And we all know what happened when they stockpiled those veterans- DISASTER! And now we have a rookie manager again!!
actually those vets in the minors KICKED ASS. they solidified a strong Syracuse team that made it to the playoffs, and provided a very strong backup for the majors when needed. no matter that they might not have hit 300… they provided much needed support when needed…. excluding Ashe of course
In fact, no. Syracuse contributed nothing of value to the Mets MLB club, and was so bereft that as early as MAY the Mets had to go outside their own system to pick Aaron Altherr off the waiver wire, and trade an actually promising minor leaguer for Wilmer Font.
When you can’t draw on your own system for a 7th OFer or 10th man in the bullpen, that’s failure by definition.
They stocked AAA because they own the team . A full home game generally brings in income.
Nunez had the worst WAR / PA among all major leaguers in 2019: -1.5 WAR in 147 PAs. He’d zero out Mookie Betts entire 2019 had Nunez played full time.
This was after a -1.1 WAR in 2018.
Presumably he was only picked up because Van Wagenen and the Wilpons had heard of him, as they continue their quest to keep Syracuse the oldest team in the minors, and the one that contributes the least to its parent MLB squad.
Impressive, in its way.
Presumably he’s for Syracuse. Because even with 13 position players, there’s no need for him in Flushing.
Nothing on earth can truly capture the nerve wracking excitement of watching Noonie run the bases.
Rene Rivera was good for the Mets.
Rajai David ph homerun was huge
To read some of the comments above you’d have thought the Mets announced they’d signed him to play 1st and were sending Alonso to the bench.
This is literally a no risk move. If he goes to spring and is crushing the ball, he makes the team as a backup infielder. If not, he goes down to Syracuae or gets released.
90% chance he isn’t thought about again. 9% chance he is marginally involved with Mets season. 1% chance he makes BVW look like a genius.
Even when he was good, Nunez wasn’t all that good, and now he’s worse. Over 10 MLB seasons he has a *career* WAR of 1.5, and he’s been in the negative the last two seasons.