Eppler: Mets Willing To Play Starling Marte In Center Field
The Mets are facing a number of high-profile free agents as the offseason looms. Among them is center fielder Brandon Nimmo, who’s easily the best non-Aaron Judge free agent option at the position. Nimmo and his representatives at the Boras Corporation will soon hear from a number of interested teams, as they’re allowed to formally speak with clubs other than the Mets five days after the conclusion of the World Series.
New York will surely keep in touch with Nimmo themselves, but they do have a potential in-house replacement if he departs. Starling Marte had played exclusively center field with the D-Backs, Marlins and A’s from 2020-21, but he moved to right field in deference to Nimmo after signing a four-year free agent deal last offseason. Marte didn’t start a single game in center field in 2022, logging all of five innings at the position. He played just under 1000 innings in right field.
After spending a year playing in a corner and having recently turned 34 years old, it’s fair to wonder if Marte’s days as a regular center fielder could be behind him. Speaking with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of the New York Post on The Show podcast this morning (Twitter link), Mets general manager Billy Eppler said the team would be comfortable deploying Marte as their primary center fielder in 2023 if necessary.
“Can Starling still play center field? Yeah, we believe he can,” Eppler told the Post. “That opens up some optionality for how we ultimately fill out that outfield. … We do have the ability to slide Marte over to center for a number of games, over 50% of the games. He’s got that ability to do that. … We are comfortable with him in center field.”
That’s certainly not a declaration the Mets are closing the book on retaining Nimmo. Eppler called re-signing Nimmo “not a closed case by any stretch of the imagination” and broadly spoke highly of his ability. One can argue for the Mets bringing back Nimmo as the center fielder and a top-of-the-lineup presence while keeping Marte and Mark Canha in the corners. Yet as Eppler noted, the possibly for Marte to slide back up the middle offers some additional flexibility in building out the roster if Nimmo does depart.
Public defensive metrics were mixed on Marte’s performance in right field during his debut season in Queens. Defensive Runs Saved credited him as three runs better than the average right fielder. Ultimate Zone Rating and Statcast’s Runs Above Average metric each pegged him below par, with UZR assigning him a -8 mark and Statcast putting him at -2. Eppler didn’t address Marte’s defensive metrics specifically but noted the outfielder battled some tightness in his left groin midway through the season. That perhaps explains in part a dip in his range that shouldn’t linger into 2023 after an offseason of recovery. Marte had zero MLB experience in right field before 2022, but he’d been consistently excellent in the other corner spot throughout his career.
His recent center field work has been mixed but serviceable. Between 2020-21, Marte logged 1509 1/3 innings in center. Both Statcast and UZR rated him a hair better than average, while DRS had him at a below-average but not intolerable -6 runs over that stretch.
In any event, the Mets will have to add an outfielder this offseason. Retaining Nimmo and keeping Marte and Canha in the corners would be the most straightforward outcome. Still, a nine-figure Nimmo deal could be beyond their liking as they also see players like Jacob deGrom, Edwin Díaz, Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker (the latter two of whom are locks to decline options) hit the market. New York has as much spending capacity as any team under owner Steve Cohen, but they’re virtually certain to see at least a couple players of note depart for loftier guarantees elsewhere.
If Nimmo is among that group, the Mets would have more to work with attacking the corner outfield market than adding a center fielder. Aside from Judge and Nimmo, the top free agent center fielder is likely Kevin Kiermaier, who’ll be bought out by the Rays after an injury-plagued year. A Cody Bellinger non-tender would add an excellent glove to the mix and vault him above Kiermaier as the #3 option, but Bellinger is a .193/.256/.355 hitter over his past 900 plate appearances. There also aren’t any clear upgrades who’ll be available in trade, with players like Cedric Mullins and Bryan Reynolds looking unlikely to move.
The corner outfield market is a bit deeper. Judge is obviously the prize, but the middle tier of free agency offers options like Andrew Benintendi, Mitch Haniger, Joc Pederson, Joey Gallo, Michael Brantley and old friend Michael Conforto. There’s also a wider pool of potential trade candidates, with Hunter Renfroe, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Max Kepler and Anthony Santander among those who could be floated in talks over the coming months.
Offseason Chat Transcript: New York Mets
MLBTR is holding live chats specific to each of the 30 teams as the offseason nears. In conjunction with the offseason outlook for the Mets, Darragh McDonald held a Mets-specific live chat. Click here to read the transcript afterwards.
Offseason Outlook: New York Mets
The Mets threw a lot of money last offseason, which got them into the postseason in 2022. But after losing their first-round matchup to the Padres, they are now about to see a huge chunk of their roster head to free agency. That means they might have to keep the wallet open if they want to take another shot in 2023.
Guaranteed Contracts
- Francisco Lindor, SS: $306.9MM through 2031. $50MM of his extension was deferred and will be paid out in $5MM installments from 2032-2041.
- Max Scherzer, SP: $86.667 through 2024. Scherzer can opt out after 2023.
- Starling Marte, OF: $62.25MM through 2025.
- Jacob deGrom, SP: $34.5MM through 2023 plus $32.5MM club option for 2024. deGrom can opt out after 2022. Some deferred money to be paid out starting in 2035.
- James McCann, C: $24MM through 2024.
- Mark Canha, OF: $12.5MM through 2023, including $2MM buyout on $11.5MM club option for 2024.
- Eduardo Escobar, IF: $10MM through 2023, including $500K buyout on $9MM club option for 2024.
- Darin Ruf, IF/OF: $3.25MM through 2023, including $250K buyout on $3.5MM club option for 2024.
- Robinson Cano, IF: $24MM through 2023. Cano was released in 2022 and is now a free agent, but the Mets are still on the hook for the last year of his deal.
Total 2023 commitments: $182.4MM, assuming deGrom opts out.
Total future commitments: $564.067MM, assuming deGrom opts out.
Option Decisions
- Chris Bassitt, SP: $19MM mutual option with $150K buyout.
- Carlos Carrasco, SP: $14MM club option with $3MM buyout.
- Taijuan Walker, SP: $7.5MM player option with $3MM buyout.
- Mychal Givens, RP: $3.5MM mutual option with $1.5MM buyout.
- John Curtiss, RP: $775K club option, arbitration eligible after that.
Arbitration-Eligible Players (projected 2023 salaries via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)
- Daniel Vogelbach (4.138): $2.9MM (Mets can bypass arbitration by exercising a $1.5MM club option)
- Tomas Nido (4.089): $1.6MM
- Dominic Smith (4.081): $4MM
- Jeff McNeil (4.069): $6.2MM
- Joey Lucchesi (4.067): $1.15MM
- Drew Smith (4.034): $1.2MM
- Pete Alonso (4.000): $15.9MM
- Luis Guillorme (3.167): $1.5MM
- Non-tender candidates: Dominic Smith
Free Agents
- Brandon Nimmo, Tyler Naquin, Edwin Diaz, Adam Ottavino, Trevor Williams, Joely Rodriguez, Seth Lugo, Trevor May, Tommy Hunter.
Fans have long called for the Mets to act like a big market team, and it finally happened this year. The second year under owner Steve Cohen, the club gave out four big free agent deals last winter, signing Max Scherzer, Starling Marte, Mark Canha and Eduardo Escobar. All four of those players got eight-figure contracts, with Scherzer getting into nine figures on a three-year deal that set a new record for average annual value.
When combined with the contracts already on the books, the Mets ended up with an Opening Day payroll of just under $265MM, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. That was more than $100MM more than anything they’d done in the pre-Cohen era and an increase of about $70MM on Cohen’s first season in charge. In terms of the luxury tax, which is calculated based on the AAV of contracts and not the 2022 salaries, the Mets were much higher. Ronald Blum of The Associated Press reported that the Mets finished 2022 with a Competitive Balance Tax number of $298.8MM, leading to a tax bill of $29.9MM.
All of that spending translated into quality on-the-field results, for the most part. The Mets led the NL East for the majority of the season, finishing with a record of 101-61. That was the second-highest win total in franchise history, eclipsed only by the 108 wins of the 1986 squad. Unfortunately, the Braves got red hot in the second half and also managed to get to 101 wins, sneaking past the Mets to the divisional title on a tiebreaker. The Mets still nabbed the top NL Wild Card spot, qualifying for the postseason for the first time since 2016. Unfortunately, they were dispatched by the Padres in the best-of-three Wild Card series.
On the heels of that disappointing finish, the club will now be thinking about how to put together a team for 2023. It’s possible that there will be a high amount of turnover, especially on the pitching staff, leading to the roster looking very different next year. In terms of the starting rotation, the Mets had six guys who made more than 10 starts in 2022, four of whom are now likely to become free agents. Jacob deGrom has long maintained that he intends to trigger his opt-out provision once the offseason begins, even when he was injured and his status was questionable. Chris Bassitt has a mutual option, with those deals almost never triggered by both parties. Taijuan Walker has a $7.5MM player option but with a hefty $3MM buyout. He should take the latter and leave $4.5MM on the table, but then easily eclipse that in free agency. Carlos Carrasco can be retained via a club option, which is a bit risky given that he hasn’t stayed healthy enough to pitch more than 152 innings since 2018. However, given the potential for so many losses, the Mets will likely keep him around.
Assuming the Mets do indeed decide to keep Carrasco, he will slot into the rotation next to Max Scherzer, who will enter the second year of his deal, and David Peterson, who has not yet reached arbitration but could qualify this year depending on where the Super Two cutoff ends up. There are some in-house options to fill out the backend, such as Tylor Megill and Joey Lucchesi, but the Mets will certainly look to make additions here.
Whether deGrom can be lured back to Queens will likely be a story that dominates the headlines until it’s resolved. He reportedly has a preference to be closer to his family home in Florida, though it’s unlikely that would be strong enough for him to accept significantly smaller deals than he would find elsewhere. He will still need to be paid something resembling his market value. The Mets have shown they are willing to spend big on the players they want, but deGrom will turn 35 in June and is likely looking at deals somewhat similar to the short-term, high AAV contract that Scherzer got. Even if they are willing to spend, would the Mets want around $80-90MM devoted to just two pitchers?
If the Mets decide to let deGrom go, there will be plenty of other options. Carlos Rodon will be one of the most sought-after pitchers this winter, though he is much younger, about to turn 30. That means he will likely be seeking a longer pact but with a lower AAV than deGrom, which might be more appetizing to the Mets. The tier below Rodon will feature many pitchers who are quite good, though not quite at that ace level. Nathan Eovaldi, Jameson Taillon, Tyler Anderson, Kodai Senga, Mike Clevinger, Ross Stripling and Michael Wacha are just some of the names in this bracket, which also includes old friend Chris Bassitt. It’s possible the Mets would prefer to spread some money around to a few guys at this level, as opposed to putting all of their eggs into an ace basket. Given the high amount of turnover that’s possible, there would be an argument for taking this approach.
Speaking of turnover, how about this bullpen? Edwin Diaz, Adam Ottavino, Trevor Williams, Joely Rodriguez, Seth Lugo, Trevor May and Tommy Hunter are all heading into the open market this winter. Mychal Givens has a mutual option and will likely be joining them. That leaves the Mets with Drew Smith as the only guy who threw more than 25 innings in 2022 to still be around. Though there are some other arms around, they are better suited to depth options. That means the Mets will effectively be looking to rebuild their entire bullpen from scratch this winter. Much of the attention will be on Edwin Diaz, given that he has established himself as one of the best relievers in the game. However, that also means he will be looking at a huge payday, possibly even becoming the first reliever to crack nine digits. With so many holes in the relief corps, perhaps the Mets will look to spread some money around to a handful of different arms instead of focusing on a lockdown closer.
If there’s one thing working in the Mets’ favor this winter, it’s that the position player core is much more stable. Outfielders Brandon Nimmo and Tyler Naquin are headed for free agency, but the whole gang will be coming back apart from that. The losses of Nimmo and Naquin will certainly hurt the club’s outfield depth, but they still have options there. Marte could slide over from right field and take over Nimmo’s center field duties. Canha can be pencilled into one corner. Jeff McNeil has split his time between the infield and outfield but could spend more time on the grass going forward. Dominic Smith is still under club control and could get the playing time he was lacking in 2022, though he could also be non-tendered after a down year. That’s a serviceable group, though the Mets could certainly look to bolster it, either by re-signing Nimmo or acquiring someone else. Nimmo won’t be cheap, however, as he’s clearly the best center field option on the market this year and many teams have a need for such a player. Given the free spending of the Cohen era, some fans might dream of the Mets plucking Aaron Judge from the Bronx and placing him in Queens. But given the multiple areas of need, it’s possible they look to cheaper options like Joc Pederson, Mitch Haniger or Michael Brantley.
On the infield, there are a few locks and a few maybes. Francisco Lindor will be the shortstop and Pete Alonso will be at first base. Eduardo Escobar and Luis Guillorme are the most obvious first for third and second base, respectively, though there are some other routes the club could take. If they do end up signing an outfielder, it would free McNeil up to stay on the dirt. There are also youngsters to consider, as Mark Vientos and Brett Baty both made their MLB debuts in 2022. Neither of them excelled in their brief MLB appearances, but each of them has crushed minor league pitching. If the Mets are willing to roll the dice on one of those two holding down the hot corner, perhaps they could try flipping Escobar to help fill in the gaps on the pitching staff.
There’s one other area where the youth factor will come into play. Behind the plate, James McCann was gradually eclipsed by Tomas Nido throughout 2022. The Mets also promoted Francisco Alvarez late in the year, who is considered by some evaluators to be the best prospect in the league at the moment. He’s still quite young, about to turn 21, and has played just 50 games above the Double-A level. He’s hit everywhere he goes but his defense is considered to be a bit behind his bat. The Mets could start him in Triple-A in 2023 while he continues to develop, but they could also be bold and pave the way for him. McCann’s contract is underwater at this point, after two consecutive poor seasons and two years left to go. But if the Mets are willing to eat some money, perhaps they can find a taker and let Alvarez spread his wings and fly.
Ultimately, how the Mets approach these different areas will depend on the budget. The high amount of roster turnover creates challenges but also frees up some spending room. Roster Resource currently pegs the club’s 2023 payroll at $231MM and CBT number at $238MM, though deGrom’s opt out and a non-tender of Smith would drop those by almost $40MM. Exercising Carrasco’s option would add $11MM and put the club just over $200MM in terms of real pa. General manager Billy Eppler spoke with the media recently and said he doesn’t anticipate any kind of budget cuts this year, though he didn’t provide any kind of specific target number. If they decide to go into 2023 with a payroll similar to the $265MM Opening Day figure they had here in 2022, that could leave them with around $60MM to spend.
That’s a decent chunk of change, though the Mets have many holes that need filling. They need at least one starting pitcher, perhaps two, along with an entire bullpen. Adding another outfielder makes sense. deGrom alone is likely to pass $40MM in terms of the AAV on his deal. Nimmo, Bassitt and Diaz will likely be in the $20MM range. Shopping in that aisle will likely require the Mets to increase the payroll closer to $300MM, something that Cohen is apparently open to, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Trading Escobar and McCann to address some of the gaps would help with the financial squeeze, but those moves would also come with the risk of handing prominent roles to unproven prospects. Perhaps the club will avoid the top names on the market and spread their money around to more second-tier free agents. There are many ways that Eppler could approach his second offseason making the baseball decisions for the Mets. But there’s no doubt they will be active one way or another, making them one of the most fascinating franchises to watch yet again.
In conjunction with this post, Darragh McDonald held a Mets-centric chat on 10-29-22. Click here to read the transcript.
NL East Notes: Dombrowski, Phillies, Duquette, Diaz, Mets, Ibanez
Dave Dombrowski’s contract as the Phillies‘ president of baseball operations runs through the 2024 season, and it contains a special clause that would allow him to leave if offered a job with an expansion team in Nashville. However, in the wake of the Phils’ run to the NL pennant, there is obvious interest in keeping him in Philadelphia for many years to come, and an extension looks to be in the works. “There’s not a chance that we’ll let him get away,” managing partner John Middleton told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
Before Dombrowski finally agreed to speak with the Phillies in the 2020-21 offseason, Nightengale reports that the team had narrowed it search for a new front office boss down to Twins GM Thad Levine and former Orioles/Red Sox GM Dan Duquette. Levine was known to be a top candidate at the time of the search, but Duquette wasn’t previously known to be on the Phillies’ radar at all. Since parting ways with the Orioles after the 2018 season, Duquette was linked to the Pirates’ GM search before Pittsburgh hired Ben Cherington.
More from around the NL East…
- Edwin Diaz is one of several prominent Mets players slated for free agency, but the Mets “believe they have the best chance to keep” Diaz of anyone in that top-tier group, The New York Post’s Jon Heyman writes. Re-signing Diaz might well cost the Mets the largest contract ever given to a relief pitcher, but Diaz’s case for such a deal is pretty sound, considering his excellent performance. Since an increasing number of teams are reluctant to pay top dollar for relievers, this could give the Mets something of an advantage in keeping the All-Star in the fold.
- Also from Heyman, he reports that Raul Ibanez spoke with the Marlins about their managerial vacancy, though Ibanez took himself out of the hunt “due to family considerations.” Ibanez has spent the last two seasons working with MLB as a senior VP of on-field operations, and previously worked as a special assistant in the Dodgers organization after retiring from his playing career. Though he doesn’t have any managing or coaching experience, the widely-respected Ibanez has surfaced as a managerial candidate in the past, though he has consistently declined interviews. Talking with the Marlins perhaps represents some softening on Ibanez’s stance, though since he lives in Miami, it is possible he saw this specific job as a unique opportunity. The Marlins announced Skip Schumaker as their new skipper on Tuesday.
Steve Cohen Says Mets Aren’t Pursuing David Stearns
David Stearns has long been considered a Mets target, as the Brewers twice rejected requests from Mets owner Steve Cohen to speak with Stearns about New York’s front office vacancies in the last two years. When Stearns stepped down yesterday as Milwaukee’s president of baseball operations, speculation quickly arose about Sterns’ future and whether or not a move to New York could be in the offing, though Cohen has seemingly closed the door on the possibility.
Speaking with SNY’s Andy Martino, Cohen reiterated that general manager Billy Eppler “is in charge” of the Mets front office, and that the club is “focused on other things right now” than a pursuit of Stearns.
Cohen’s statement tracks with other recent reports suggesting that Eppler isn’t in danger of being replaced, as the positives of the Mets’ 101-win regular season look to have outweighed the disappointment of the club’s early playoff exit in the Wild Card Series. The Mets are still looking for a new team president, but were reportedly looking to hire a business-oriented executive for the role, leaving Eppler running baseball operations.
Of course, speculation linking Stearns and the Mets isn’t likely to end until Stearns takes a job with another team, the Mets hire a new president, or perhaps until Eppler is given a president of baseball operations title. (While clubs can use several different titles for their top front office decision-maker, Eppler’s status as “only” a GM does leave some wiggle room for a president of baseball ops to be installed above him.) In fact, Martino feels Cohen will eventually interview Stearns down the road, though Martino also writes that “Mets people have long insisted that the link between Cohen and Stearns has been overstated for the past year.”
For his part, Stearns said that he isn’t joining another team, and that his decision to step away from Milwaukee’s PBO job was based on a desire to step back from the daily grind of running a Major League team. Though he’ll remain as a consultant with the Brewers, Stearns said he is “looking forward to taking a deep breath, spending time with my family and exploring some other interests.”
There is also the practical matter of Stearns’ contract, which runs through the end of the 2023 season. Stearns and Brewers owner Mark Attanasio discussed the situation (with MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy and other reporters) in somewhat oblique terms at yesterday’s news conference, saying that there was some type of arrangement in place should another team ask to interview Stearns about another job.
Because Stearns is a contracted employee, Attanasio is under no official obligation to allow the Mets or any team to speak with Stearns. As an MLB official tells The Athletic’s Will Sammon, the league would have to approve any attempt on another’s team part to essentially purchase Stearns’ contract for cash. Perhaps not wanting to set precedent, “MLB would likely prefer the two sides strike a trade involving players,” Sammon writes. Trades involving non-player personnel are rare but not entirely uncommon. For instance, the Red Sox received two players (Chris Carpenter and Aaron Kurcz) from the Cubs as compensation for letting Theo Epstein out of the the final year of his contract to become Chicago’s new president of baseball operations, with prospect Jair Bogaerts also dealt from the Cubs to the Sox as part of the swap.
Mets Finalizing Extension With Pitching Coach Jeremy Hefner
The Mets are finalizing a contract extension with pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post. Assuming the deal is completed, it’ll keep the 36-year-old in the role for at least a fourth season.
A former Mets pitcher, Hefner has quickly risen through the coaching ranks after wrapping up his playing career following the 2016 season. Initially hired as a scout by the Twins heading into 2017, he made the jump to bullpen coach by 2019. He spent just one year working in that capacity for Minnesota before returning to his former big league organization as pitching coach over the 2019-20 offseason.
That hiring was overseen by former GM Brodie Van Wagenen and manager Luis Rojas, and the Mets overhauled both their front office and coaching staff not long after. Van Wagenen was dismissed following the 2020 season, while Rojas was fired and replaced by Buck Showalter last winter. Despite the leadership turnover, the Mets have remained steadfast in their belief in Hefner. He retained his position throughout the duration of his initial two-year guarantee, and the Mets exercised an option on his services for 2022 last October.
Puma writes that the Mets were concerned Hefner could both draw interest from other big league clubs and college programs this offseason. The notion of an MLB pitching coach leaving to take a collegiate coaching position may surprise some onlookers, but the Twins were dealt a midseason blow this summer when pitching coach Wes Johnson resigned to take the same role with LSU. Puma suggests that a chance to return closer to his native Oklahoma could’ve been appealing to Hefner, but he and the New York organization are apparently on the verge of continuing their relationship.
The Mets have been an above-average pitching team since Hefner took over, ranking 11th in cumulative ERA (3.93) and second in strikeout rate (25.7%) since the start of the 2020 campaign. No team topped New York’s 26.3% strikeout percentage this past season, while only the Dodgers, Astros and Yankees allowed fewer runs. As with any coach, Hefner isn’t solely responsible for the club’s results. He’s certainly had the fortune of working with a number of talented pitchers — Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and Edwin Díaz among them. Yet it’s also clear Hefner’s a respected pitching mind within the industry, and it’s no surprise the Mets prioritized keeping him around given the team’s success on the mound.
Puma adds that most of Showalter’s staff is expected to return in 2023, although he suggests there could be a few changes. Showalter himself is certain to be back after leading the club to 101 wins during the first season of a reported three-year contract.
Tommy Hunter Wants To Keep Pitching, Open To Return To Mets
Veteran reliever Tommy Hunter is keen to keep playing, and is interested in a return to the Mets, according to Tim Healey of Newsday.
“I love the game. I loved it here. We’ll see what happens. I think I’m still decently good at the game. And there’s an argument to keep going. My kids love it. As long as they say I can play, them I’m going to keep playing,” Hunter said.
Hunter, 36, made 18 appearances out of the Mets bullpen, pitching to a 2.42 ERA across 22 1/3 innings. Advanced metrics were less enthused about Hunter’s performance, as his FIP sat at 4.28, but his strikeout (23.4%) and walk (6.4%) rates were largely in line with his career numbers, and while his home run rate did jump a bit, it’s perhaps unfair to attribute too much meaning to that given the smaller sample size.
It was the second stint in Queens for Hunter, who pitched eight innings for the Mets in 2021 before going on the injured list for the remainder of the season with a lower back injury, including during his time with the Rays after he was dealt there in the Rich Hill trade. Hunter also twice spent time on the injured list this season with lower back tightness. Injuries have long been a problem for the talented pitcher, and he’s dealt with forearm, calf and hamstring strains dating back to 2017.
However, there’s no denying Hunter’s ability when fit, and his career 3.18 ERA as a reliever across seven teams is evidence of that. Given he finished the season on the injured list, there’ll be some concerns about his health, but he should still have interest from bullpen-hungry teams given the results.
Eduardo Nunez Announces Retirement
Former major league infielder Eduardo Nunez announced his retirement from professional baseball today in a post to his Instagram. “Today, it is with mixed emotions that I officially announce my retirement from professional baseball,” Nunez wrote. “I had the opportunity of a lifetime to play the game I love for more than a decade while competing for five amazing MLB teams.”
Nunez, 35, played for the Yankees, Twins, Giants, Red Sox, and Mets during a career that spanned 11 seasons in the majors. His last season in the majors was 2020, when he appeared in two games for the Mets. He played in the Chinese Professional Baseball League in 2021 and did not play professionally during the 2022 season.
He made his major league debut with the Yankees in 2010, the first of four seasons spent in a utility role in their uniform. During his time in the Bronx, Nunez slashed .267/.313/.379 (86 wRC+) in 270 games while logging time at second base, third base, shortstop, and both outfield corners. Nunez’s career as a member of the Yankees ended when he was traded to Minnesota in 2014, where his career would begin to improve, with the highlight of his Twins tenure being the 2016 season that earned Nunez not only his only career All-Star appearance, but a deadline trade to the Giants. That season, he slashed .288/.325/.432 (101 wRC+) while splitting time between second base, third base, and shortstop.
Nunez would remain with the Giants until the following year’s trade deadline, when he would be swapped to the Red Sox. He re-signed with Boston during the 2017-18 offseason, and split time between second and third base while batting .265/.289/.388 (78 wRC+) in 127 games as the Red Sox won 108 games en route to a World Series championship. Nunez remained with Boston in 2019, appearing in 60 games before being designated for assignment in July.
Altogether, Nunez spent parts of 17 seasons playing professional baseball and batted .276/.310/.404 (90 wRC+) in his 3008 major league plate appearances, collecting 776 hits, 142 stolen bases, and 1136 total bases along the way. MLBTR wishes Nunez the best in his future pursuits now that his playing career has officially come to a close.
Francisco Alvarez Undergoes Ankle Surgery, Expected To Be Ready For Spring Training
The Mets announced this evening that rookie catcher Francisco Álvarez underwent surgery to repair damaged cartilage in his right ankle. The club’s expectation is that’ll be ready for the start of Spring Training.
Álvarez is regarded by prospect evaluators as one of the top young talents in the sport. The 20-year-old backstop (21 next month) combined for a massive .260/.374/.511 line in 495 plate appearances between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse this season. The Mets rewarded him with a late-season big league call in an attempt to add some right-handed juice to the lineup as they tried to hold off the Braves in the NL East race. Álvarez collected two hits (including a homer) in 12 at-bats down the stretch, and Atlanta seized the division title. New York carried him on the Wild Card series roster against the Padres but only gave him one plate appearance in the loss.
New York certainly views Álvarez as their long-term backstop, but it’s possible he opens next season back in Triple-A. He only started one game behind the dish in the majors, with some reservation among evaluators about his current defensive level. He’s generally expected to remain a catcher long-term, but the Mets could determine he needs a few more reps behind the plate before taking over as a #1 catcher in the majors.
At some point in the not too distant future, however, Álvarez figures to get that longer look. The Mets have veteran James McCann under contract for two more years at a combined $24.3MM. The Mets would presumably welcome an opportunity to shed some of that money after McCann hit only .195/.257/.282 in 61 games this season. They’re not likely to find much trade interest, and McCann is well-regarded enough as a game caller and defender New York seems likelier to wind up keeping him around. He could eventually move into a depth role as Álvarez gains more defensive experience.
Tim Healey of Newsday first reported Álvarez’s surgery before the team announcement.
Mets GM Billy Eppler Discusses Payroll, Offseason
Mets GM Billy Eppler and manager Buck Showalter met with reporters (including Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News and Newsday’s Tim Healey) earlier this week, wrapping up the season and giving some idea about what to expect from the club this winter. Unsurprisingly, those plans may well include more spending, as owner Steve Cohen isn’t planning to cut payroll after the Mets set a new luxury tax high of approximately $298.8MM in 2022.
Eppler said that Cohen has already provided a “pretty close” idea of what the 2023 budget will be, with the idea that extra spending will act as a “bridge” to keep the Mets competitive until their farm system develops the depth to start consistently generating talent from within the organization.
“You want to keep as much of your talent as possible,” Eppler said. “That’s why Steve has said what he has said, which is: We’ll use some financial strength to keep us out of that position so that we can build something long-term.”
Hindsight is always 20-20 after a first-round playoff exit, especially when the Padres and Phillies have now advanced to the NLCS thanks to contributions from players who joined the team during the season. For all of the splashy moves the Mets made last winter, New York had a relatively quiet trade deadline, yet Eppler said he had “no regrets” about his transactions.
Of those midseason pickups, Daniel Vogelbach hit .255/.393/.436 with six homers in 183 plate appearances after being acquired by the Pirates in late July. Other midseason acquisitions like Darin Ruf, Mychal Givens, and Tyler Naquin all struggled after coming to Queens, but Eppler was pleased with the Mets were able to land Vogelbach “without robbing the future in a significant way.” Landing a bigger trade target would have cost the Mets some of the top prospects they hope can start contributing in the big leagues as soon as 2023.
In terms of offseason business, New York’s first priority is its own prominent set of free agents, a group that includes Jacob deGrom (when he opts out of his contract), Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo, Chris Bassitt (if he declines his end of a mutual option), Taijuan Walker (if he declines a player option) and potentially Carlos Carrasco. The Mets seem likely to exercise their $14MM club option on Carrasco for 2023, though Eppler didn’t give any hints in this direction.
As to the more clear-cut free agents in deGrom, Diaz, and Nimmo, Eppler said the Mets will “have conversations with all three” before the free agent market opens: “We’ll get a sense of understanding their expectations, they’ll get a sense of understanding ours, and we’ll see if something can be executed. It’s talking to all three. It’s not prioritizing one over the other.”
In terms of specific needs, Eppler downplayed a potential need for more power in the lineup, saying “If it’s in the cards and it can happen, that’s one way to do it. But still honoring getting on base is an important aspect….I’m a fan of on-base percentage, I’m a fan of OPS in kind of simple terms.”
The Mets had a productive offense overall, as their collective 116 wRC+ was topped by only the Dodgers and Blue Jays. However, in terms of the power categories, the Mets were eighth of the 30 teams in slugging percentage, tied for 15th in home runs, and 16th in isolated power. This lack of extra pop stood out in the playoffs, as the Mets combined for three homers and a .326 slugging percentage in their three games against the Padres.