Report: Mets Fill Center Field Platoon With Free Agent De Aza
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Mets apparently have found some new depth for their outfield.
According to CBSSports.com and WFAN baseball insider Jon Heyman, New York has reached an agreement with free agent Alejandro De Aza on a one-year, $4.5 million contract, pending a physical.
De Aza, 31, will likely platoon with Juan Lagares in center field, the New York Post reported.
mets plan for depth is smart but while de aza played plenty of cf prior to '14 he had only 9 cf starts last 2 yrs, 1 in '15
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 22, 2015
The move will certainly disappoint many fans who are still holding out hope that the Mets will add a more high-profile player to their outfield mix, especially considering that Yoenis Cespedes, who performed brilliantly after being acquired by general manager Sandy Alderson at the trade deadline, is still available.
The Mets, for now anyway, have gone in another direction.
The lefty-swinging De Aza is a career .267 hitter with 45 home runs and 224 RBI in parts of eight seasons. He spent 2015 with the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and San Francisco Giants, hitting a combined .262 with 7 homers and 35 RBI.
De Aza made just two errors in 159 outfield chances last season.