Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Newly hired General Manager Billy Eppler made his first two splashes with the New York Mets on Friday night adding some solid versatility to a group that could definitely use it.
In what appears to be just the beginning of a busy and extremely interesting offseason, Eppler and company reached agreements with infielder Eduardo Escobar and outfielder Mark Canha. Both are solid underrated players who have a lot to bring to this team.
What’s next for this group prior to the December 1st lockout? As expected, the Mets are still in on the big fish sitting out there on the market. According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Mets remain interested in center fielder Starling Marte.
The market for Marte is extremely crowded, as Heyman notes the Phillies, Astros, Rangers, Giants, Yankees, Marlins, and others have also shown interest in the 33-year old. This isn’t very surprising, as Marte put together another extremely strong season with the Marlins and Athletics last year.
Over 120 games, he hit .310, posted a .383 OBP, .841 OPS, tied his career-high with 47 bases, and hit 27 doubles and 12 homers. Marte’s speed and on-base prowess from the right side of the plate could be a tremendous asset for this Mets lineup.
He is exactly the type of player that could pair perfectly alongside fellow on-base machine and table-setter Brandon Nimmo at the top of the order. A starting outfield of Nimmo, Marte, and Canha could be really really solid, and would certainly get on-base a ton.
It certainly won’t be easy for the Mets to reel the veteran outfielder in as they appear to be facing some stiff competition. However, with the way Eppler and company are rolling right now, we shall see.
Be sure to keep it posted to MMO for the latest news, not just on the Marte sweepstakes, but all things Mets baseball.
