The New York Mets added a number of players to their 2024 roster primarily to increase their flexibility in the future. This winter, David Stearns, the president of baseball operations, only gave out one multi-year contract. Third base was not one of the areas he upgraded particularly. By going after seasoned third baseman Evan Longoria, could he provide the Mets some insurance at the hot corner?
On March 11, Patrick McAvoy of SI.com suggested that Longoria might make a good free agent addition to the New York team. “He could be a good option to add more depth to the roster and is still available,” he stated. “Longoria could play a bench role, allowing young players like [Brett] Baty a chance and adding extra depth at third base and designated hitter.
After Dominican Winter League player Ronny Mauricio suffered an ACL tear, Stearns did look into the senior third base market. Gio Urshela and Justin Turner were briefly linked to the Mets before they signed with other teams. In the end, the sole outside addition for infield depth was the $2 million, one-year contract that Joey Wendle signed.
Spotrac estimates that after playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023, Longoria’s market worth will be $7 million after a single year.
What the Mets Might Gain from Longoria
If the Mets pursued Longoria seriously, he would bring a wealth of big-league experience to the Big Apple. The 16-year veteran has attended two World Series and three All-Star Games. In addition, he has three Gold Glove Awards and a Silver Slugger Award.
Since he is accustomed to playing part-time, it is unlikely that he would be searching for a regular employment. He played in 74 games and saw 237 plate appearances in his age-37 season with Arizona. As a result, he triple slashed.223/.295/.422, finishing with 11 home runs and 28 RBI.
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