The Mets’ offseason roster moves are getting second-guessed already, and it’s not hard to see why.
New York made some eyebrow-raising position decisions this winter. They signed Jorge Polanco to play first base and Bo Bichette to handle third — spots neither guy had ever played before. Bold moves, but the execution hasn’t exactly gone smoothly.
While the Mets focused heavily on run prevention during the offseason, FanSided’s Tim Boyle wrote Sunday that they might’ve missed the boat on a bigger opportunity.
His take? They should have gone after Kyle Schwarber instead of settling for Polanco.
“Instead of paying the piper and getting Kyle Schwarber, the Mets settled with Jorge Polanco at the DH spot. The plan was to have him play some first base and DH while providing them with added depth around the infield. Instead, Polanco has been out for nearly a month already after homering just once and driving in a pair. They’re paying him $20 million this year and next to be more of a punchline than an offensive haymaker.”
That’s harsh, but the numbers don’t lie.
Schwarber ended up staying in Philadelphia on a five-year, $150 million deal — a contract Boyle thinks the Mets should’ve matched. Though let’s be honest, Schwarber’s return to the Phillies felt pretty inevitable from the start.
The 33-year-old slugger is doing exactly what he’s always done: mashing homers (16 so far) and working walks at a solid 14.1% clip. That’s the kind of production the Mets are missing right now.
“Stealing Schwarber from the Phillies would have been rewarding. More so would have been having a left-handed hitter who pummels southpaws,” Boyle added.
“Schwarber solves a lot of what the Mets are missing.”
It’s hard to argue with that logic, especially when you’re watching Polanco’s struggles play out in real time. Sometimes the safe play isn’t the smart play, and the Mets might be learning that lesson the hard way.
