The New York Mets’ need for outfield help is well chronicled.
Juan Soto and Brandon Nimmo have the corners locked down, but the center field position has become the biggest hole in the Mets’ lineup. Tyrone Taylor is a fan favorite when he’s a platoon defensive specialist, but not so much when he’s getting everyday at-bats.
Could the Mets look into acquiring a big-name outfielder having a disappointing season? One baseball writer thinks the Texas Rangers may have just the player New York needs.
On Tuesday, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report proposed a theoretical trade in which the Mets would land Adolis García, the postseason hero for the 2023 World Series champion Texas Rangers, with a year and a half left on his rookie contract.
In exchange, Reuter had the Mets sending right-handed pitching prospect Anthony Nuñez, who has a 1.47 ERA between High-A and Double-A this season, to Texas.
“The Rangers’ motivation for moving (García) will be offloading what is left of his $9.25 million salary, so the prospect return won’t be major, but they should be able to bring back at least one useful piece,” Reuter wrote.
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“With Tyrone Taylor underperforming at the plate and Jose Siri sidelined with a fractured shin, the Mets have turned to Jeff McNeil in center field, while Ronny Mauricio is carrying a 30.1 percent strikeout rate as the team’s primary second baseman. Adding another potential option to the mix there should be a priority.”
García, 32, is sporting a .659 OPS this season, a year after putting up a .684 mark. It’s been odd to see him become a below-average hitter after he was a deserving All-Star in 2023 and lit the world on fire with eight playoff home runs.
Nonetheless, the Mets may believe all García needs is a change of scenery. He’d bring a fresh feel to their outfield, assuming his excellent right field defense translated to center.
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