Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Another potential bench option for the Mets is off the board. Outfielder Adam Duvall has reportedly agreed to a one-year, $7 million deal with the Boston Red Sox, as first reported by The Miami Herald’s Craig Mish. Duvall can earn up to $10 million with incentives.

Free Agent Outfielder Adam Duvall is in agreement with the Boston Red Sox. The deal is 1 year $7 million Dollars. Performance bonuses could get the deal up to $10 million dollars per source.

— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) January 18, 2023

The 34-year-old Duvall has played mostly with the Braves since 2018, and hit 38 home runs with Atlanta and Miami in 2021. Last season he slashed .213/.276./.401 with 12 homers in 315 plate appearances.  Duvall will now join a Boston outfield that includes Alex Verdugo, Masataka Yoshida, and Jarren Duran.

With Duvall no longer available, the options are running out for the Mets to find a fourth outfielder. Duvall and Andrew McCutchen were the best players available, but now the Mets will have to look elsewhere if they want to add depth.  Some of the remaining options include Tommy Pham, Jurickson Profar, David Peralta, and a reunion with Tyler Naquin.

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David Peralta

Position: OF
Bats/Throws: L/L
Age: 35 (8/14/1987)
2022 Traditional Stats: 134 G, 490 PA, .251/.316/.415/.731, 12 HR, 30 2B, 59 RBI, 110 H
2022 Advanced Stats: 109 OPS+, 104 wRC+, 0.7 bWAR, 1.7 fWAR, 8.4 BB%, 23.3 K%, .307 BABIP, .313 xwOBA, -5 DRS, 5 OAA

Rundown

David Peralta has been one of the most under-appreciated players in Major League Baseball for nearly a decade. In his career he has never been an All-Star and has played for Diamondbacks teams and a 2022 Rays team that can most aptly be described as underwhelming and disappointing. With just one Silver Slugger award and one Gold Glove award in nine years in the league you would think he hasn’t had a big impact, but that simply isn’t true.

Since he made his major league debut in 2014, Peralta has a career OPS just under .800 and in only one full season has he had an OPS+ below 100. He was mostly productive last year in his age-34 season, in which he posted a .731 OPS and a 109 OPS+. These numbers are negatively skewed due to a poor stint with the Rays, whom he joined at the trade deadline. Before this trade, Peralta enjoyed a productive half-season with the Diamondbacks where he put up a .777 OPS and a 118 OPS+.

Peralta’s numbers show that he has been a reliable contact hitter throughout his career, eclipsing a .285 batting average in five of his nine seasons. He has also flashed power at times, blasting a career-high 30 home runs in 2018 and in 2022 he hit at a rate of 22 home runs over a full 162 games before his trade to the Rays in July.

In 47 games with Tampa Bay, though, he failed to register any home runs and posted a less-than-ideal .652 OPS. Whether this struggle was due to a failure to acclimate to a new environment, age catching up to him, or another unknown factor is unclear.

What is clear is that Peralta’s performance has declined the past two seasons. His last two OPS totals of .731 and .728 are below his career OPS of .796 and he has only hit 20 home runs in his last 1000-plus plate appearances. Additionally, his batting average, on-base percentage, and walk-to-strikeout ratio in 2022 were all the lowest of his career over a full season. This late in his career, can he turn it around? Teams interested in his services will have to answer that question for themselves.

Contract

Spotrac.com believes Peralta has a market value of $8.3 million, which they estimate he will receive on a one-year deal. This valuation feels reasonable, though it’s possible he might not even make that much. A.J. Pollock signed a one-year, $7 million deal this offseason, and it can easily be argued he’s the better and more valuable player of the two. Because Peralta is turning 36 this August and has shown a decline in his performance, he may have to settle for a cheaper deal wherever he goes.

Recommendation

It’s no secret that the Mets are in need of, and are looking for, a fourth outfielder. Even with Andrew McCutchen now off the board, there are plenty of options out there that are on-par with, or better than, Peralta. Adam Duvall and Tommy Pham are names that have been linked to the Mets who might be better fits for the team. Duvall and Pham are also known for their prowess against southpaw pitchers, a skill that the Mets are desperate for that they wouldn’t receive with Peralta, a lefty himself.

The Mets should focus on the names listed above before they consider signing Peralta. They could certainly do worse if they land him as a fourth outfielder, but there are better fits for the team and what it is looking for at the moment.

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Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good morning, Mets fans!

The Mets’ priority at this stage of free agency continues to be a fourth outfielder and on Friday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that the Mets are considering signing Tommy Pham for that role. Heyman also mentioned the possibility of Trey Mancini, Adam Duvall, Jurickson Profar, or Tyler Naquin. It was previously reported on Thursday that the Mets had been in contact with Andrew McCutchen, but he wound up signing with the Pirates on a one-year, $5 million deal.

Pham and Duvall especially have had success against lefties, an area in which the Mets struggled last year, so it’s no surprise to hear that the Mets are potentially interested in adding one of their bats to the bench. Even at this stage of free agency, the Mets have plenty of options to choose from for their fourth outfielder next year.

Latest Mets News

Pete Alonso and the Mets agreed to a one-year, $14.5 million contract to avoid arbitration. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, it is the largest deal ever for a first baseman in arbitration. In total, the Mets settled with six of their seven arbitration-eligible players.

In an article on MLB.com, Jim Callis noted about Brett Baty: “New York should give him its third-base job at some point in 2023 because he’d offer more offense and at least as much defense as 34-year-old incumbent Eduardo Escobar.”

The Mets announced that they are receiving Luis De La Cruz from the Orioles as the PTBNL in the James McCann trade.

The Mets’ organizational managers for 2023 have become official with Dick Scott managing Triple-A Syracuse, Reid Brignac managing Double-A Binghamton, Chris Newell managing High-A Brooklyn, and Gilbert Gómez managing Low-A St. Lucie.

The Mets re-signed Connor Grey to a minor league deal.

Latest MLB News

Juan Soto and the Padres agreed to a one-year, $23 million contract to avoid arbitration.

Lucas Giolito and the White Sox agreed to a one-year, $10.4 million contract to avoid arbitration.

Brandon Woodruff and the Brewers agreed to a one-year, $10.8 million contract to avoid arbitration.

Other notable players who signed contracts to avoid arbitration with their teams include Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Rhys Hoskins, Josh Hader, and Tyler O’Neill.

The Twins signed pitcher Chris Paddack to a three-year, $12.5 million contract extension.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic interviewed Carlos Correa, asking him about his unprecedented free agency experience.

Latest on MMO

Michael Mayer wrote about the Andrew McCutchen signing, including some other players who make sense for the Mets now that he is off the board.

Michael Mayer also wrote about the Mets’ interest in Tommy Pham.

Michael Famulari analyzed the importance of Brett Baty and Eduardo Escobar to the 2023 Mets in the aftermath of the Carlos Correa deal falling through.

On This Date in Mets History

1998: The Mets signed Japanese pitcher Masato Yoshii to a one-year deal. He would go on to pitch to a 6-8 record with a 3.93 ERA during his debut season, earning a contract extension from the team.

Birthdays: Aaron Altherr (32), Mike Pelfrey (39), Ross Jones (63)

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