By Dalton Allison
As MLB teams take this time to finalize their strategies for free agency, they look at and reflect holes that need to be plugged on their roster. For the Mets, some holes are glaring, like the need for a consistent DH and starting pitching depth. Other roster problems can feel like an existential crisis, such as the hole that has existed at third base on the Mets since the departure of David Wright. Of course, we could not expect any of the successors to do what Wright did as a Met, and it is always impossible to fill the void left by a team’s all-time great. The most productive season by a Mets third baseman since Wright’s departure measured by WAR was Todd Frazier’s 2018, where he produced a 2.5 mark. Since then, it has been a rotating cast that has been struggling to hold down the hot corner.
Last year, the position was ripe for Brett Baty’s taking, and the season ended up going not so well for him. The season was marred by Baty fluctuating between the minors and the majors, never really getting his footing at the major league level. While he is still only 24 years old, the 28% strikeout rate that he produced last season could be a troubling sign to come of a hitter that lacks discipline. Even management seems to be growing weary of Baty, as Ronny Mauricio started at third towards the end of the season. If Baty is not a solid option moving forward what are the Mets going to do at third?
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