Photo by Chris Simon
While Sandy Alderson tries coming up with reasons as to why the New York Mets haven’t made any front office hires yet, the organization is still pressing ahead with trying to make roster upgrades for 2022. One of those options is bringing back their trade-deadline acquisition in Javier Báez.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand shared the following report from the GM meetings, which are currently happening in Southern California.
Word is the Mets had a meeting with Javier Baez’s camp today. The market for Baez appears to be quite active in these early days of free agency.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) November 11, 2021
It’s not surprising to hear that Báez’s services appear to be in high demand at the moment, especially considering how strong his 2021 campaign ended.
The slick-fielding middle infielder posted a .886 OPS, 143 wRC+, and 1.7 fWAR through 186 plate appearances with the Mets, and it wasn’t just those numbers that caught everyone’s eye. There was a clear shift in approach and execution once he landed in Flushing.
When looking at his stats before and after getting traded, Báez’s walk rate went from 4.2% to 7.0%, while his strikeout rate went from 36.3% to 28.5%. His final month of the year was the most telling — he slashed .347/.426/.554 with a 169 wRC+ in 115 plate appearances, and his plate-discipline numbers were even better (8.7% walk rate, 26.1% strikeout rate).
During his media availability on Wednesday, Alderson had this to say about Báez and how he could contribute to the organization in 2022 and beyond (quote via SNY):
“His impression on me was very positive. I thought he played exceptionally well. He’s obviously a multi-talented player. I think he would fit in well in New York. Nothing seems to faze him in terms of the size of the stage, can help a team in a number of different ways, and he’s an entertaining player. He goes beyond just contributing to a winning team. So, lots of positives there.”
I don’t see any lies in that statement. Plus, there’s the added bonus of playing with his best friend, Francisco Lindor, for more than just a couple of months. We already know it’s something he’s thought and talked about, even before the Mets traded for him this past July.
MLB Trade Rumors ranked Báez as the 12th-best free agent this offseason, predicting he’ll land a five-year, $100 million contract. FanGraphs also ranks him 12th-best free agent, with their prediction coming in around four years and $80 million.
