The New York Post’s Mike Puma reports that the Mets have fielded interest in catcher Devin Mesoraco and third baseman/corner outfielder Jose Bautista. Both Mesoraco, 30, and Bautista, 37, are set to be free agents at the end of the season, and, understandably find themselves on the trading block as the last-place Mets try recovering whatever they can in financial relief, farm system upgrades, and international slot money.
Mesoraco was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Matt Harvey in May, and has helped stabilize a catcher’s position that had seriously lacked with Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki on the disabled list at the time.
While he has only stroked .232/.314/.415 in 159 plate appearances, such numbers are his best since his All-Star campaign in 2014. He’s nabbed 26 percent of baserunners, and since arriving has seen particular success as a batterymate to starters Zack Wheeler and Steven Matz, who have combined for a 3.09 ERA working with him.
Bautista, who also appeared on the last legs of his career upon his arrival, has been a pleasant – if not, formidable – surprise in the lineup, particularly with minimal production from power bats Jay Bruce and Yoenis Cespedes.
In 51 games, Bautista has posted a .396 on-base percentage and has slugged .432, leading the team with a staunch 21.1 percent walk-rate since May 23 and driving in 22 runs out of the middle of the order. Even on a contending team that has its outfield sorted out, Bautista profiles to a tee as a versatile pinch-hitter with a veteran presence.
Little has been said about neither the degree of interest nor the Mets’ intent to part with these two hitters, but even a set of low-tier prospects would spell a victory for a front office that has lost virtually everything else in terms of both development and personnel decisions.
