New York Mets Should Make A Push To Sign Matt Wieters
Travis d’Arnaud is set to be the starting catcher for the New York Mets for the 2017 season. However, there is a free agent catcher that the team could target if they do not believe that d’Arnaud is the best option going forward.
One of the best offensive catchers in the MLB is still a free agent. The New York Mets have a golden opportunity to sign Matt Wieters if they are willing to spend the money.
Wieters, 30, would be an upgrade over Travis d’Arnaud. Not only is he a good hitter, but Wieters is also a two-time Gold Glove Award winner. He has spent his entire eight-year career with the Baltimore Orioles.
He made 111 starts behind the plate for the Orioles last season, batting .243 with 17 home runs and 66 RBIs. Back in 2012, he belted 23 homers and drove in 83 runs for the Orioles. A four-time All-Star, Wieters is one of the better all-around catchers in the MLB.
The #Braves' pending addition of Kurt Suzuki removes another team from Matt Wieters' list of potential landing spots.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) January 21, 2017
It is surprising that the Mets have not yet already brought in another catcher this offseason. This was a position that was a real problem for them during the 2016 season.
D’Arnaud battled through a shoulder injury early in the season that kept him sidelined until June. When he was finally healthy, his offensive numbers were very unimpressive. In 75 games, he batted .247 with just four home runs and 15 RBIs.
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Defensively, he allowed 61 stolen bases. It was definitely the worst year of his career. During the little playing time that he got in 2016, Kevin Plawecki did not put up stellar numbers either. He hit just .197 with one home run and 11 RBIs in 132 at-bats.
Rene Rivera was the Mets’ best catcher last season. Although he only batted .222 in 185 at-bats, he showed more power than d’Arnaud and Plawecki. Rivera hit six home runs and drove in 26 runs for the Mets in 2016. Back in December, the Mets and Rivera agreed to a one-year, $1.75 million contract for the 2017 season, avoiding arbitration.
Signing Wieters would be a smart short-term move for the Mets. They need to get more production out of the catcher position this season. Out of the three players that they have at this position right now, d’Arnaud has shown the most potential. However, injuries have been a major problem for him throughout his career.
Even if d’Arnaud does get off to a good start in 2017, there is no guarantee that he will be able to stay healthy. Plawecki has yet to show that he can hit enough to be an everyday catcher at the major league level. Rivera is a nice backup option to have, but he is definitely not an everyday catcher either.
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Mets general manager Sandy Alderson should really consider signing Wieters. It is hard to believe that he is still a free agent, considering all of the talent that he has. In the next few weeks, we will see if the Mets decide to make a big push to try and bring in Wieters.