According to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic, the New York Mets reached an agreement with free-agent outfielder Kevin Pillar on Monday night.
MLB Network’s Mark Feinsand notes that this is a guaranteed one year deal worth $5 million deal, but has the potential to become up to two year deal worth around $10 million.
Pillar, a West Hills, CA native, is no stranger to the game. He is a veteran outfielder who has been in the league since 2011. He has finished as a Gold Glove finalist in center three times in his career, and appeared on the All-Star team for the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.
Pillar was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 32nd round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Cal State College in Dominguez Hills. He made his big league debut in August of 2013, and spent the first seven years of his career (2011-2018) with the Jays.
Nicknamed ‘Superman,’ Pillar was most known for his terrific defense and acrobatic plays in center throughout his early days. During his time in Toronto, Pillar posted a .692 OPS and accumulated a stellar 49 Defensive Runs Saved, +13 Outs Above Average, and 14 Wins Above Replacement.
With Toronto in rebuild mode, Pillar was traded to the San Francisco Giants just five games into the 2019 season for second baseman Alen Hanson, and right-handed pitchers Derek Law and Juan De Paula.
During his lone season in the Bay Area, Pillar found another gear at the plate, but his defense in center began to take a steep decline. For the first time in his career, Pillar posted a negative OAA (-2) and DRS (-6) in center.
However, he set new career high’s offensively, posting a .735 OPS, 37 doubles, and 21 home runs. Pillar also recorded a 1.3 WAR, and performed well enough to finish twenty-second in National League MVP voting.
Following his breakout offensive season, Pillar elected to enter free agency for the first time in his career. He waited the market out until February, but settled on a one year deal with the Boston Red Sox.
Mets acting General Manager Zack Scott was the assistant GM in Boston at the time.
Pillar spent half of the pandemic shortened season in Boston, before being traded to the Colorado Rockies. He again enjoyed offensive success, playing half of his games at the hitter friendly Coors Field.
In just 24 games with the Rockies, Pillar posted a .351 OBP, .801 OPS, 102 OPS+, and a 0.2 WAR. He appeared in center in 21 of those games, and struggled again, putting up another negative in OAA and DRS.
Pillar entered free agency again this offseason, and ultimately signed his one year deal with the Mets on Monday night. Despite his defensive decline over the past few seasons, the veteran outfielder absolutely helps add to the Mets’ already much improved depth.
Pillar has posted strong career numbers against left-handed pitching (.784 OPS), brings some speed, and is certainly still a serviceable outfielder. He isn’t here to be a star, but should serve as a solid piece off the bench for Luis Rojas.
It will be interesting to see what Pillar brings to this Mets team in 2021.
