Busy Mets add backup infielder Mendick (source)

NEW YORK — The Mets can solely go so lengthy with out making a transaction.

The White Sox had not too long ago non-tendered Mendick, who tore the ACL in his proper knee in June and didn’t return in 2022. A Mets official stated he expects Mendick to require a ramp-up interval initially of Spring Training however to be totally wholesome by the tip of March.

When wholesome, Mendick is a robust defender able to enjoying second base, third base and shortstop. The Rochester, N.Y., native and right-handed hitter was within the midst of his greatest large league season when he suffered the harm, having produced a .289/.343/.443 slash line over 31 video games for Chicago. He had additionally posted an .894 OPS in restricted time at Triple-A.

With the Mets, Mendick ought to present further depth behind probably the most formidable infields in baseball, with Correa becoming a member of Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil and Francisco Lindor. The membership has two different veteran infielders on the roster in Eduardo Escobar and Luis Guillorme and will not be capable of carry all of them, so the Mendick signing may immediate them to pursue a commerce of the costlier Escobar. Doing so would enable them to shed a small chunk of wage, a lot as they did earlier Wednesday with the commerce of McCann.

The Mendick deal brings proprietor Steve Cohen’s payroll commitments to free brokers this winter to a file $807.1 million.