What if the Mets decided to use this roster space for something else?
Little adjustments have been the focus of the New York Mets’ offseason. Bringing in Joey Wendle to take Luis Guillorme’s position was one of their more moderate acquisitions to date. A talented defender who has experience as an All-Star, it’s hard to object to such a clear improvement.
Wendle batted just.212/.248/.306 in his lone season as the Miami Marlins’ regular shortstop. With the market dwindling and him just being able to play off the bench, the Mets moved quickly to contract him for $2 million at the end of November.
Next was Ronny Mauricio’s injury. The Mets now view Wendle as much more crucial. Additionally, there may be some buyer’s regret with this free agency deal due to the shortage of choices to provide them with defensive innings at third base. This is not because of how much he cost, but rather because of the roster slot he currently occupies.
The Mets might want someone different if they could do it all over again.
It would be obvious for them to sign Gio Urshela instead of Wendle. Urshela’s addition now creates a squad that has two infielders who bat lighter than the other, which limits the veteran’s at-bat opportunities. In several respects, Urshela is Wendle on a daily basis. Although he would be more expensive, he may provide the Mets the chance to experiment with a few more options without making as many sacrifices and might even strengthen the lineup.
The Mets’ other apparent option is to sign a contract with Justin Turner. He doesn’t have the same defensive prowess as some of the others, despite being a name so well-known to fans this offseason that you could type it with one hand while spinning around. He is only a designated hitter (DH) who the Mets can use at third base in the event of an injury or if they don’t think Brett Baty or Mark Vientos are suitable for the role.
Turner and Urshela still have value for the Mets. But Wendle’s presence lessens their significance. The chances of either visiting Queens also appear to be decreasing daily.
If it’s not Justin Turner or Gio Urshela, what now for the Mets?
There are players in free agency who would have to start at third base or who are essentially Wendle’s exact replicas. The Mets may have to rely more on Wendle as a defensive stand-in at third base—at least for the time being—due to the Mauricio injury. It’s the Baty and Vientos Show with Wendle until they bring someone in from outside.
Regarding the hot corner scenario, the Mets have not yet totally cornered themselves in with their DH quest. For the time being, Turner is still available, so Wendle may return to his true calling by signing him. The Mets have taken one more outfield slot away from any corner outfielders who could occupy the open DH position by adding Harrison Bader to the roster.
Doubting Baty and Ventos as defensive players and accepting their offensive capabilities is one thing. The issue is that neither player has produced enough consistent major league hits in the opportunities that have been offered to them. The possibility that Wendle may outperform them both in terms of batting average and on-base percentage in the upcoming season is not absurd.
How crucial is it that the Mets add an infielder to fill the last few roster spots? They can only be flexible enough to demote DJ Stewart, Baty, or Vientos. Furthermore, going by some recent conjecture, they could be more inclined to hold onto all three of those players and take a chance on a less effective DH strategy.
It’s still fantastic to have Wendle signed. The Mets have just lost out on some other possibilities as a result of it. Maybe those were never really the alternatives they were looking for.