Chicago White Sox: 3 New York Mets free agents to consider
Noah Syndergaard captured the MLB headlines when news broke that he inked a deal with the Los Angeles Angels, leaving behind the only Major League team he has ever known in the New York Mets. Now, the Chicago White Sox should be wondering which Mets free agents they can look at.
The Mets have been a disappointment for much of the last decade. After adding some big names such as Francisco Lindor, Marcus Stroman, and Javier Baez, the Mets were expected to be contenders in the National League. Instead, they floundered in the mediocre NL East division. They finished in third place with a 77-85 record, 11.5 games out of first place.
Now, the Mets have some big decisions to make. They have 11 free agents. That collection of names includes some former All-Stars. After being mired in mediocrity, there is a good chance the Mets just throw in the towel and let them walk. If they do try and contend they will not be able to resign all of them.
The Chicago White Sox are trying to put the finishing touches on a World Series contender. They need a new second baseman after trading away Nick Madrigal. They need to patch a hole in the right field after the Nomar Mazara and Adam Eaton acquisitions didn’t pan out. On top of that, they need bullpen help and some possible starting pitching depth.
The Chicago White Sox could use a few different free agents from the New York Mets.
The Mets just so happen to have free agents that could fill any one of those needs. Here are three Mets free agents that the White Sox should consider this offseason:
Javier Baez
The Chicago White Sox could really use some help at the second base position.
It’s no secret that Javier Báez’s short tenure with the Mets was a failure. The Mets went just 22-38 with Báez on the roster and missed the playoffs. Báez didn’t exactly look like he enjoyed his time in Queens either. He gave Mets fans a thumbs-down sign in response to being booed mercilessly for his poor play and high strikeout volume. Regardless, he is one of the best middle infielders on the market in the offseason. At the age of 29, he is still in his prime.
In 2018 Báez finished second in the MVP voting made his first All-Star game appearance and took home a silver slugger award. He hit a career-high 34 home runs and drove in a league-high 111 RBIs. He returned to the All-Star game in 2019 then won a Gold Glove in 2020. However, his production at the plate took a nosedive in 2020. He showed signs of regaining his All-Star form in 2021.
In his last 26 games in Chicago, he hit .302/.358/.542 with six home runs. He didn’t slow down with the Mets either batting .299/.371/.515 with nine home runs. Overall he hit .298/.362/.523 during the second half of the season which is actually better than the numbers he put up during the second half of his 2018 campaign (.290/.326/.554).
The White Sox needs a second baseman. Báez paired with Tim Anderson would make an electric double-play combination. It would easily be the most exciting middle infield in baseball. There are some red flags, however, as Bàez strikes out at a very high rate.
The White Sox already have plenty of power hitters so an ideal second baseman would be one that puts the ball in play. Báez also has a strong personality and can be a bit immature at times. Will his personality and style of play clash with Tony La Russa’s old-school thinking? The White Sox locker room didn’t have a problem with La Russa but it is still a valid concern.
Báez enjoyed playing in Chicago, so why not the Southside? If the Cubs don’t want to pony up the money for Báez, the White Sox could be a viable option. Jed Hoyer had an opportunity to extend Javy but the deal fell through due to COVID-19. That deal was worth roughly $160 million so Rick Hahn would have to be in the same ballpark for this deal to come to fruition.
Micheal Conforto
The outfield is an area of concern going into 2022 for the Chicago White Sox.
The White Sox’s most pressing need this offseason outside of a second baseman is a right fielder. Micheal Conforto is on the market and he could provide the stability for a position that has plagued the White Sox in recent years.
Conforto is 28 years old and has an estimated market value of just over $19 million. He just rejected the Mets $18.4 million and looks to be on his way out of New York. Conforto struggled in 2021 but has a good track record. From 2019-2020 he slashed .274/.376/.499.
Those numbers were 35 percentage points above the league average by the measure of wRC+, which calculates weighted runs created. That was also good enough to rank in the top 20 of qualified MLB hitters. In 2017 he made the National League All-Star team after posting a .279 average to go along with 28 home runs. In 2019 he hit a career-best 33 home runs.
But Conforto struggled in 2021. He only hit 14 home runs in 479 plate appearances. His batting average dropped to .232, the worst of his career since 2016. Because of Conforto’s struggles, he could come at a reasonable price this offseason depending on how the rest of the market views him. He, however, is a Scott Boras client so don’t bank on it.
For the White Sox, he could be worth the risk because of some promising signs that suggest a bounceback year in 2022. He had a career-low 21.7% strikeout rate. With the White Sox, he would be surrounded with lineup protection and play in a hitter-friendly ballpark that should help his power numbers.
Teams that sign Conforto will also lose at least one draft pick and potentially some international bonus pool money. That could scare some suitors away. Rick Hahn indicated that he does not care about losing a draft pick because he did not extend a qualifying offer to Carlos Rodon.
Had he done so, the White Sox would have gained a complimentary draft pick when Rodon rejected the offer. Conforto presents a solid option for the White Sox outfield, if the White Sox can get him for under $20 million he is definitely worth taking a serious look at.
Brad Hand
The Chicago White Sox could need some help in the bullpen going forward as well.
The White Sox bullpen needs help. Craig Kimbrel is likely going to be traded, Micheal Kopech is moving to the starting rotation and Evan Marshall, who handled the bulk of high leverage situations in recent years, is out the door.
Brad Hand is a grizzled veteran reliever who has ample experience pitching late in games. Over his 11 year career, he has accumulated 26 saves and made three All-Star teams. He isn’t the dominating force he once was but still has plenty left in the tank. In 2018 he posted a 2.28 ERA and then followed that up with a 2.05 ERA in 2020.
Hand started the 2021 season with the Washington Nationals before being moved to Toronto. He struggled with the Blue Jays but a change of scenery in New York did him good. He notched 21 saves in 2021 and had a solid 2.70 ERA in 16 games with the Mets. Overall, he finished the season with a 3.59 mark.
That would play perfectly in the White Sox bullpen. Hand would compliment the White Sox’s other left-handed relievers, Aaron Bummer and Garrett Crochet. He would also help stabilize a bridge to the ninth inning. He could even handle save situations if Liam Hendriks needs a day off.
His age 32 season is upon him and his K/9 inning rate has been on the decline. The White Sox could view him as a cheap setup man. There are plenty of teams in the market for a discounted closer. Hand could opt to go to a team that will make him their primary closer if he doesn’t value playing for a contender. If not, for a short-term deal, he could be a cost-effective option in the bullpen.
Related Story. Tony La Russa receives Manager of the Year votes. light