On Wednesday, the New York Mets added depth and a load of experience with the additions of Juan Lagares and Brian Dozier. The Lagares news was first reported by Deesha Thosar of the N.Y. Daily News while Anthony DiComo of MLB.com was first with the Dozier signing.
Moments after the signings, the Mets announced they have released Melky Cabrera and Gordon Beckham per DiComo.
Lagares and Dozier were signed to minor league deals with the intention of adding depth to the team a scant 48-hours before Opening Day on Friday afternoon. But they will likely not be at Citi Field for the Opener as both players are not under consideration for the Mets’ Opening Day roster. They signed with the expectation that they will begin the season at the team’s alternate training site in Brooklyn.
With the flurry of moves and machinations, the Mets’ player pool now stands at 57.
Juan Lagares, 31, is a Gold Glove winning outfielder who played for the Mets for seven years. Never known as a prodigious offensive threat, Lagares was better known as a dependable, and at times, outstanding outfielder who patrolled center at Citi Field better than most. His slash line for the Mets was .254/.297/.326.
He appeared at Citi Field on Wednesday where he was warmly greeted by Robinson Cano, Dominic Smith and other teammates. With Jake Marisnick day-to-day with a hamstring tightness, Lagares is a potentially important depth piece for the Mets.
Brian Dozier, 33, brings eight years of experience to the Mets. He is a middle infielder who has played both second and short in his career. Like Lagares, Dozier is also a past Gold Glove winner, copping the award in 2017. Dozier has appeared in one All-Star Game in 2015 as a member of the Minnesota Twins, the team Dozier has spent most of his career. He also received MVP consideration for three straight years (2015-2017) finishing as high as 11th in 2017.
On September 12, 2016, Dozier became the first American League second baseman to hit 40 home runs in a season. Also, he was the first second basemen in Twins history and 13th in MLB history to record a 20/20 season (20+ homeruns and 20+ stolen bases). He led the AL in pull percentage on a couple of occasions.
Dozier spent last season with the Washington Naitonals, where he mashed 20 home runs and won a World Series.
With Jed Lowrie a continued unknown for the Mets, the signing of Dozier gives the Mets infield depth at a couple of positions should the need arise. Although never one to hit for average (.245 lifetime BA), he does have power and could spell some regulars a day or two as the season progresses.
No information was given by the Mets on the dismissals of Cabrera and Beckham, as of this writing, Mets manager Luis Rojas has not addressed the media.
