New York Mets Rumors: Dexter Fowler New Target?

New York Mets Rumors: Is Dexter Fowler the Mets’ Plan B behind Ben Zobrist?

The New York Mets offseason has been quiet thus far, but with free agent dominoes beginning to fall, it is only a matter of time until they get into the mix. The MLB Hot Stove is beginning to heat up, and the Mets have been mentioned in a couple of rumors already.

The most popular one is that they want to sign Ben Zobrist. The super-utility man is rumored to be atop the Mets free agent wish list, but there is a chance they will miss out on him. His asking price is supposedly a little steeper than the Mets would like to go, and there is also a lot of teams in on Zobrist so he will not be an easy player to sign.

If they miss out on him, who could the Mets turn to in free agency to upgrade their offense and fill the holes that look to be left by Yoenis Cespedes and Daniel Murphy? According to Buster Olney, they could turn their attention to the outfield, specifically centerfield and Dexter Fowler, most recently of the Chicago Cubs.

The Mets continue to look at Dexter Fowler as a possibility for their outfield. Ben Zobrist is their focus at the moment.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) December 2, 2015

The Mets interest in Fowler makes sense in basic terms. As it seems Cespedes is going to move on, the Mets need to replace him and there aren’t many better options than Fowler. Also, he is a switch-hitter, which would give Terry Collins some flexibility in his lineup. After that though, the interest in Fowler makes little sense.

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Unlike someone like Gerrado Parra, who can play all of the outfield spots and be a platoon player with Juan Lagares, Fowler would probably be the everyday centerfielder. He makes for a poor platoon partner with Lagares, as he hits better from the right side against lefties, just like Lagares does. With Michael Conforto expected to take over in leftfield, and Curtis Granderson locked into right, the need for an everyday outfielder like the Mets isn’t high.

Also, Fowler does not have an ideal spot in this lineup. Fowler was the leadoff man for the Cubs last season, but it would make little sense to knock Granderson out of the leadoff spot after the work he did there this past season. Also, the money the Mets would have to give Fowler could probably be used more wisely, such as upgrading a place that really needs it like the middle infield or bullpen.

The Mets should probably leave Fowler for someone else to sign, as he also declined a qualifying offer and would cost the Mets a first round draft pick, something they did last season when signing Michael Cuddyer. Losing another first round draft pick does not seem like something the Mets should be willing to do.

While Fowler is a good player, his fit with the Mets doesn’t seem ideal. The outfielders they should be targeting should be ones that be used in a platoon with Lagares, not force him to the bench for good.

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If Fowler is indeed signed, it could also be a signal of things to come, such as a trade that involved Lagares. But, that is not something they should be pushing for as Lagares can still be used as a weapon defensively, and when deployed as a platoon player he is a useful piece off the bench.

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