MMO will be looking at multiple bargain options that are still available for the Mets this offseason. With Sandy Alderson reportedly having about $10 million left to spend, the Mets best chance to fill holes will be shopping at the dollar store.
Earlier this offseason, Mets general manager John Ricco let on that the team would be “big players” this offseason, as they looked to fill holes around the diamond.
Fast forward a month and a half later and things have taken a complete 180, in typical Mets fashion. What was once reported that general manager Sandy Alderson would have somewhere between $30-40 million to spend is no longer. Instead, Alderson will have a fraction of that to work with, with the only signing he’s made this offseason being reliever Anthony Swarzak on a two-year, $14 million deal.
Alderson is going to have to get crafty with his limited funds. On Tuesday, my colleague Josh Finkelstein highlighted veteran Brandon Phillips as a bargain option for second base. Yesterday, Rob Piersall wrote about Tim Lincecum as a dollar store starting pitcher option.
The Mets still need another new reliever or two to add to a bullpen group that struggled in 2017. They could certainly use a second option to get lefties out alongside Jerry Blevins who has made 148 appearances over the last two seasons. Enter Oliver Perez.
I know, I know, Mets fans have a lot of bad memories when it comes to Perez but he’s actually made himself into a useful reliever over the last six seasons.
Perez, 36, had a 4.64 ERA, 3.82 FIP and a 1.33 WHIP in 50 appearances that spanned only 33 innings for the Washington Nationals in 2017. The ERA is pretty ugly but he also struck out 39 batters in 33 innings and only walked 3.3 per nine innings.
Part of the reason for the bloated ERA from Perez was he struggled against righties (.888 OPS) but Dusty Baker inexplicably still didn’t use Oliver as a LOOGY. Perez held lefties to a .227/.301/.364 slash line yet he was brought in to face almost as many right-hander hitters (70) as left-handed (73). To put that into perspective, Jerry Blevins faced 132 lefties last year and only 85 righties.
Perez also struck out 20 batters compared to only five walks against lefties and only allowed one home run (Jay Bruce as it would be). Since becoming a reliever in 2012 with the Seattle Marines, Ollie has held lefties to a .237/.317/.352 slash line while striking out 28.7% of them.
Another reason to believe that Perez will continue having success against lefties is him maintaining his fastball velocity, 92.83 MPH in 2016 and 93.18 MPH this pas season.
Josh Smoker is the only left-handed reliever on the Mets 40-man roster other than Blevins meaning they could certainly use depth on that are and we know they don’t have much to spend.
Perez being 36 means he likely isn’t going to get more than a one-year deal in the the likely $2 million price range which makes him a good fit for the Mets in that regard. Plus, how could Sandy deny the Minaya and Perez reunion.
