Sources have confirmed to MetsmerizedOnline.com that the New York Mets are expected to sign second baseman Joe Panik when he clears waivers tomorrow afternoon.
According to one source, the former St. John’s product has expressed interest in “coming home” to play for the Mets.
Another source said, “If Joe isn’t a Met on Friday afternoon it would be a shock to me.”
The San Francisco Giants designated Panik for assignment on Tuesday and he will officially become a free agent at 1 PM EST tomorrow.
Panik, 28, broke in with the Giants in 2014, showcasing a quick bat, excellent contact skills, and superb defense at second base.
Eventually, Panik grabbed the everyday job, teaming up with shortstop Brandon Crawford to form a spectacular defensive duo up the middle for the Giants, and was a key contributor in their World Series Championship that year.
The following season, the New York native was selected to the All-Star team, posting a remarkable .312/.378/.455 batting line with a 135 wRC+ and a .363 wOBA that season. Panik followed that up with a Gold Glove in 2016, the only one of his career despite ranking near the top in several defensive metrics over the years.
Injuries began to take a toll on Panik, as he hit .254 last season with a .635 OPS in just 100 games. That decline continued this season, with Panik batting just .235 and sporting a .627 OPS in 102 games. However, his contact rates have remained consistent and he remains above league average defensively.
Still, when the Giants acquired Scooter Gennett from the Reds last week, the writing was pretty much on the wall for the popular second baseman who had become a fan-favorite in San Francisco.
As for the Mets, with a torn hamstring potentially sidelining Robinson Cano for the rest of the season, Panik would seemingly fit like a glove, pardon the pun.
