With the offseason nearing completion, the New York Mets have just a few more weeks to finish improving their roster, which should include acquiring a reliable defender who can be positioned on the right side of the infield.

While the front office is currently searching for a starting center fielder, which they can’t afford to begin next season without, it’d also be wise for them to at least consider bringing in another infielder as well. It might not be high on their list of priorities, but making this move could certainly help them inch one step closer to becoming one of the top playoff contenders in the National League.

Even though Jeff McNeil is slated to take over the starting second base position, as teammate Robinson Cano will be suspended for the entire 2021 campaign, the Mets don’t own much depth at that spot right now and it could potentially become a significant issue for them at some point this summer.

Since Luis Guillorme is expected to compete for playing at third base next season, he might not be able to fill in at second base if McNeil suffers a significant injury, especially if he wins the starting job at the hot corner. Unless infielder Robel Garcia – who’s the only other player on the 40-man roster with prior experience at second base – takes a major step forward in 2021, management will probably need to address this need before spring training opens next month.

Considering second baseman Kolten Wong, who’s viewed as one of the top defensive infielders in the majors, is still available in free agency, the Mets would be foolish if they didn’t attempt to acquire him. But since the Toronto Blue Jays are also interested in the 30-year-old, it might not be easy to bring the two-time Gold Glove award winner to Queens this winter.

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Despite this difficult task, outbidding the Blue Jays, or any other franchise, for Wong’s services would dramatically improve this team’s run prevention and it’d likely take a ton of pressure off their pitching staff moving forward. While he wouldn’t be guaranteed a starting role, the 5-foot-9 infielder would still be extremely impactful as a backup second baseman and as a defensive replacement, as he’s been one of the top defensive players throughout the entire majors since 2018.

Over the last three seasons, the former first-round pick has generated the most DRS (41), the highest RngR (14.8), UZR (22.4), UZR/150 (9.5), and defensive fWAR rating (26.7) among all qualified second basemen, according to FanGraphs.com.

In addition, the defensive-first second baseman has also finished in the top four regarding OAA in each of the last three seasons, as he produced an 11 OAA in 2018, an 8 OAA in 2019, along with a 2 OAA last season.

Considering McNeil is known for his production at the plate and not in the field, resulting in a career 4 OAA over his 774.0 innings at second base, adding some insurance on the right side of the infield definitely wouldn’t be the worst route to take. At the very least, acquiring Wong could help motivate the 28-year-old to improve his defense next season.

As for his offensive capabilities, there’s no question the Mets would be acquiring the former St. Louis Cardinal for his stellar fielding, but he could also provide some upside at the bottom of the order. Though he won’t become a reliable run producer, the left-handed hitter has proven to be capable of generating plenty of walks and can spray the ball to all three sides of the field as well.

Since the 2019 campaign, Wong has earned 757 plate appearances, producing 29 doubles, 12 home runs, 75 RBIs, .319 BABIP, .326 wOBA, 8.9% walk rate, 14.9% strikeout rate, 35.7% pull percentage, 36.8% center percentage, 27.5% opposite percentage, and a slashing line of .279/.358/.396/.754.

While he wouldn’t provide much support against left-handed pitchers, which is something the front office has been focused on improving this offseason, the Hawaii standout could bring some much-needed speed to this roster, particularly on the basepaths. Ever since becoming an everyday player in 2014, the veteran hitter has produced the 14th-highest speed score (5.8) and is tied for the 16th-highest BsR (23.3) – base running runs above average – among all qualified hitters in the majors.

Instead of being inserted as a defensive replacement when the Mets take the field, Wong could come into games as a pinch-runner and help make an impact as a base runner. Then when it’s time to close out the final few innings, he could simply remain in the contest and provide shutdown defense at second base.

Based on his prior experience as a starter – he’s played in at least 120 games in four of his last six seasons – the Hawaii native could easily fill in as an injury replacement if McNeil was forced to miss an extended period of time in 2021. Taking into account that the one-time All-Star has battled through multiple injuries over the last couple of campaigns, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have someone already on the roster who could make a seamless transition if needed.

With approximately $27 million in tax space, according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts, the Mets probably wouldn’t want to spend a ton of their remaining resources on another infielder. But considering both Starlin Castro (two years, $12 million) and Cesar Hernandez (one year, $6.25 million) recently received new deals that pay each of them around $6 million per season, there’s a strong chance that management could sign Wong to a similar amount.

Though adding someone like Enrique Hernandez, who’s been linked to the Mets this winter, could make the team much more versatile next season, he won’t be able to significantly improve their overall defense and quickness as Wong could do. Plus, it looks like he’s nearing a deal with the Red Sox, as of Friday. Faced with a tough decision, team president Sandy Alderson and his staff must determine which trait his club needs to address this offseason.

Regardless of which option the front office chooses, it’s clear New York is slated to become a much improved defensive team in 2021, especially in the infield.