Another former Tampa Bay Ray and New York Yankee has joined the New York Mets, and he could be used this season as a DH option. Ji-Man Choi, a first baseman and designated hitter, signed a one-year split contract worth $3.5 million with the Mets on Friday, according to Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News Agency, who used the player’s representatives as his source. Choi confirmed his new team, the Mets, by updating his Instagram bio. Left-handed swingman Choi appeared in just 39 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres in the previous season, but he still managed a slash line of.163/.239/.385 with six home runs and 13 RBIs.
Choi and DJ Stewart may be the left-handed bats vying for time at second base during spring training, even if the Mets seem prepared to give righty Mark Vientos the starting DH role. The 32-year-old Choi was a solid hitter for the Rays, having his finest season to date in Tampa in 2019 with a.822 OPS and 19 home runs in 127 games. Choi also had brief appearances with the Milwaukee Brewers and Yankees before 2019. They know each other from their time spent together in Milwaukee, where Choi was employed in a similar capacity to Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns. Choi is currently the most recent former Brewer that Stearns has included in his queens.
