Grading the Mets' Offseason Additions
Since the hot stove has cooled, let’s give out some grades
Image via Anthony DiComo, MLB.com
Hey, Mets fans! Two of our contributors at The Apple, James Williams and Chris Jones, have put together 2,000-plus words of offseason grades for the New York Mets’ array of offseason additions.
James focuses on each team group and Chris breaks down each individual addition. Enjoy!
You know, I’ve been a Mets fan since 1996. I started paying attention to offseason moves probably in 2004. In my recent memory, this is the most active offseason I’ve ever seen.
So since The Apple has given me a voice, and I like grading things, here are my grades for the moves made!
Bullpen, B+: Trevor May, Aaron Loup, Stephen Tarpley, Jacob Barnes, Mike Montgomery, Sean Reid-Foley, Jerad Eickhoff, Tommy Hunter, Jerry Blevins, Trevor Hildenberger, Arodys Vizcaino
Most years, when it came to the bullpen it always seemed the Mets approached their bullpen as “throw a band-aid on it and we’ll fix it later”.
For every good pitcher they had, there was an, “ah man, he’s coming in; the game’s over”. Now I feel like they looked at the core of the pen and made a real effort to put pieces that actually work well together and can get outs.
Rotation, A: Joey Lucchesi, Carlos Carrasco, Marcus Stroman, Jordan Yamamoto, Taijuan Walker, Jerad Eickhoff
So last year when the pitching fell apart, the Mets had deGrom, David Peterson, Tom, Dick, and don’t forget Walker Lockett.
They actually have depth this year. Like, major league help. Did they get the star power? No. Did they build a good contingency plan in case something goes wrong? 100%.
Infield, B-: Francisco Lindor, Jose Martinez, Jonathan Villar, Brandon Drury
We all know how amazing Lindor is. The trade for him shifts the needle in so many ways. His acquisition is an A++.
On to the others. Martinez is a good bat. Horrible defense. Likely brought in with the DH in mind. No dice. Villar is. good depth piece, but pretty meh here. Drury is a dice roll, and that’s OK.
Bright side, the infield is pretty much set. Though, outside of Lindor, they could’ve gotten better players.
Catcher, A (A+ for being named James): James McCann
The Mets have needed a steady hand at catcher for years. Finally, I feel confident that this team has a catcher that can get the low pitch called, can control the run game, and bring out the best in this staff.
Outfield, B: Kevin Pillar, Albert Almora Jr., Mallex Smith, Khalil Lee
Pillar and Almora are solid depth pieces with proven defense and can get on base. Smith should prove useful if the Mets are ever in a bind for bodies.
Lee intrigues me. He’s likely going to start the season in Triple-A. He’s got speed, plays a good center field, and has some pop. Hope we see him sometime soon.
Overall I think the Mets had a great offseason and I’m stoked to see how the team comes out of camp. My overall grade is an A. Wish I got more of those in college…. LET’S GO METS!
James A. Williams
Mets OF Khalil Lee; Image via Anthony DiComo, MLB.com
For the first offseason in the Steve Cohen era, the Mets were poised to make big moves and they did not disappoint.
In my young life, I never thought I’d ever see the Mets get the players they did. Especially when the Wilpons owned the team. The Mets acquired players to win now, and players to win in the future. Here are all the moves the Mets made this off-season and a grade for them all.
Sam McWilliams RHP (one year, $750K), B+
The first move of the offseason was an interesting one. Sam McWilliams — a pitcher who has no MLB pitching experience — received an MLB deal. However, he is coming from a Rays organization known for developing fantastic bullpen arms.
If the Mets do not add to the bullpen before Opening Day, McWilliams could well be the 26th man on the Mets deep roster.
Trevor May RHP (two years, $15.5 million), A
The first big acquisition of the off-season, May, 31, is a fan favorite for his big footprint on social media. May is coming off a great 2019 and 2020 and will hopefully continue his success heading in Queens. In 2020, according to Baseball Savant, May was in the 99th percentile in whiff rate and 98th in K%.
For the performance and flexibility May adds to the pen, an AAV of $7.75 million is a steal.
James McCann C (four years, $40 million), A-
Catcher James McCann is a welcome addition to the team. McCann has been highly praised by pitchers for his game-calling, and he was behind the dish for Lucas Giolito’s no-hitter in 2020.
In the 88th percentile for framing, McCann is a huge defensive upgrade over Wilson Ramos. McCann has also improved with the bat since being a non-tender in 2018, putting up 2.2 fWAR and 1.5 fWAR in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
The last two years of the contract could be blocking the rise of catching prospect Francisco Alvarez, but all in all, this is a terrific addition for the win-now Mets.
Francisco Lindor SS and Carlos Carrasco RHP (Trade), A++
Not much to talk about here. The Mets got their franchise player in Lindor, and the perennial MVP candidate improves the Mets defense tremendously. Carrasco is a top-25 starter and a critically-needed addition to the Mets rotation. The Mets will have him for the next two (or three) seasons (2023 club option).
This deal earns an A++ as it was Cohen’s big fish, and a fantastic one. The Mets didn’t only acquire two top talents but they also acquired two amazing locker room personalities which is something I love about this deal. They bring heart, skill, and experience.
Stephen Tarpley LHP (Waiver Claim), B-
Tarpley was claimed off waivers in January from Miami after being designated for assignment. Tarpley has very few major league innings on his arm (44.3 innings) for being a 28-year-old. He has pitched in both the Bronx and Miami and has not found success in either place as he has a career ERA of 6.70.
Ultimately, I understand why the Mets placed a claim on Tarley as they were weak on LHP at the time but, I think it is unlikely we see much of Tarpley in 2021 especially because he doesn't have the greatest career numbers.
Jose Martinez 1B/OF/DH (one year, $1 million), B
The Mets acquisition of Jose Martinez would have earned a stronger mark if the NL had adopted the DH in 2021.
A perfect fit for the DH role, Martinez is a lower than average defender who is unlikely to see regular playing time in Queens. However, Martinez brings a great bench bat and will most likely be used in that role (.289 career batting average and .803 OPS).
A MiLB deal is a great low-risk, high-reward situation. He could become a key bat off the bench.
Joey Lucchesi LHP (three-team trade; PIT/SDP), A
When the Mets acquired Joey Lucchesi, it was as if they pressed an upgrade button on Steven Matz. In exchange for catching prospect Endy Rodriguez, the Mets gained control and depth from Lucchesi.
Although he struggled in an injury-plagued 2020, Lucchesi showed consistency in 2018 and 2019, posting an ERA slightly over 4.00 in both seasons.
The lefty is a piece the Mets will certainly use in the years to come. He is a great depth piece and maybe used in the bullpen during the 2021 season as a lefty specialist or a long guy. That is why this acquisition earned an A.
Sean Reid-Foley RHP and Yennsy Diaz RHP (via Steven Matz trade), A
Although the primary objective of this trade was dumping Steven Matz’s $5 million deal for 2020, the Mets acquired some good depth pieces in return.
Reid-Foley, 25, is a starter with MLB experience, posting a career ERA of 4.40 over 21 appearances. He should give the Mets added upper-minors depth and an option in case of an emergency at the major league level.
Yennsy Diaz, 24, is a young right-handed arm. Many are bullish about this signing. Look for Diaz to have a positive effect on the bullpen later in his career.
This trade got an A because the Mets were able to flip Matz for some good talent. In addition to Reid-Foley and Diaz, they also acquired Josh Winckowski who was traded to the Red Sox for Top-10 prospect Khalil Lee. Great job by Sandy and Zack Scott on this deal.
Aaron Loup LHP (one year, $3 million), B+
Loup, 33, had an amazing 2020 season with the Rays posting a 2.52 ERA. Loup replaces Justin Wilson as the Mets lefty specialist and is arguably an upgrade.
I love this signing and think the sinkerballer is a perfect fit for the Mets, but the failure to get a top-10 arm in Brad Hand was painful — especially when he landed with the division-rival Nationals. Still, I'm excited to watch Loup perform in 2020.
Jordan Yamamoto RHP (Trade with MIA), A
Yamamoto, 24, is another nice depth piece for the rotation. After being designated for assignment by the Marlins this offseason, Yamamoto was picked up by the Mets via trade.
During his two major-league seasons, the young pitcher from Hawaii has shown some upside and is a great low-risk pick-up.
Yamamoto has voiced his excitement about joining the Mets, and the change of scenery and coaching may help him bounce back from a few rough starts in Miami last season. Who knows? Perhaps by mid-season, Yamamoto could be making some solid starts.
Khalil Lee OF (Trade with BOS and KC), A+
Lee, 22, brings elite speed and a slick glove. The Mets acquired Lee from Kansas City in a trade that sent Josh Winckowsk i— one of the three pieces in the Matz deal — to Boston.
Lee immediately bolstered the Mets depleted farm system, ranking among the team’s top-10 prospects. With six years of team control, the Mets can look forward to developing this young talent.
Lee was the most overlooked pick-up of the offseason. With his 55-grade speed, he will undoubtedly be tearing up the base paths in Flushing soon. Be excited for Khalil Lee!
Albert Almora OF (one year, $1.25 million), C+
Before Kevin Pillar was signed, this deal made a lot of sense. Afterward, it leaves you scratching your head. Pillar and Almora are very similar defensively but Pillar has a better bat. On the plus side, Almora brings slightly above-average defense (OAA of +3 in 2019 and +10 in 2018).
The Mets now have two mediocre bench centerfielders. I would have preferred Jackie Bradley Jr. over Pillar and Almora — and missing out on Springer still stings. Almora has one more option left, which is always a plus.
Jonathan Villar UTL (one year, $3.55 million), A
Villar is an outstanding pick-up, a switch hitter with the ability to pretty much play every single position on the field. We will most likely see him at second and third base.
I'm sure Villar will also earn a decent amount of starts in 2021. He could be a key depth piece, for sure. Villar had 4.1 fWAR in 2019 so he clearly has the goods to be a difference-maker.
Kevin Pillar OF (one year, $5 million), B
Pillar was great with the bat last year, posting a .341 wOBA and 1.1 fWAR. However, this once terrific defender has posted consecutive negative OAA seasons in centerfield. Given the Mets need to upgrade their centerfield defense, this signing falls short.
Pillar's bat does indeed have some upside after last season, but the Mets will have to hope Pillar’s focus is on the game and not on making waves off the field. At age 32 with declining defensive skills, he can’t afford the distraction.
Taijuan Walker RHP (three years, $23 million), A+
After losing out on Trevor Bauer, the Mets found a fantastic addition in Taijuan Walker. Walker, 28, had a strong 2020 after coming off Tommy John surgery. He posted a 2.70 ERA and used his splitter much more.
Walker solidifies the backend of the Mets rotation for the next few years. He has been working hard at Driveline (a baseball training heaven) and believes he hasn’t yet reached his ceiling post-surgery. If that's the case, this deal is an absolute steal.
Final Grade A-
The Mets significantly upgraded the team across the board. They missed out on Bauer, Springer, and Realmuto, but the free Mets agency class of 2021 is the most exciting one the Mets have seen in years.
Extra Credit
Extend Lindor and Conforto.
Chris Jones
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