According to Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com, the New York Mets have signed veteran infielder Eduardo Nunez to a minor league contract with a non-roster invite to Spring Training.
Nunez, 32, has spent the last two-plus seasons with the Boston Red Sox (his tenure in Beantown overlapping with current Mets executive Allard Baird), contributing to the Sox’ 2018 World Series win over Los Angeles (3-for-10, homer, three RBIs in that series).
From 2010 through 2017 (with the Yankees, Twins, Giants, and Boston), the Dominican native slashed .282/.320/.415 (97 OPS+) with just 304 strikeouts over 2,330 plate appearances.
While his strikeouts are still within reasonable levels (96 over 676 PA since the start of 2018), Nunez has seen his offensive production drop off considerably since. Over the last two seasons, Nunez has hit .255/.277/.366, including a downtrodden .228/.243/.305 (35 wRC+; 174 PA) in 2019.
His defense is just below average, per Statcast (-2 outs above average last season combined at second base, third, and shortstop), and he finds himself with an uphill battle ahead of him with regards to job security.
Carving out a roster spot in this extremely crowded Mets infield figures to be a tall task for the 10-year MLB veteran. Luis Guillorme hit .282/.378/.462 over 47 sparse plate appearances from August 5 through the end of the season and has a strong glove, to boot.
Unless general manager Brodie Van Wagenen plans on continuing to tinker with this roster, this could purely be a depth move — never a bad thing, especially with no risk attached — intended to create some healthy competition in camp.
