While the Atlanta Braves have been checking all the right boxes this offseason, things haven’t exactly clicked into place for the New York Mets. They’ve watched three key pieces - Edwin Díaz, Pete Alonso, and Brandon Nimmo - walk out the door via trade or free agency. And while the front office has made some moves to patch those holes, the early returns aren’t exactly inspiring confidence in Queens.
The additions of reliever Devin Williams and infielder Jorge Polanco bring some talent, sure. But in terms of replacing the star power and production they’ve lost?
The Mets still have a long way to go. On top of that, there have been rumblings of potential clubhouse tension involving big names like Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor, and Jeff McNeil - the kind of behind-the-scenes noise that can derail a roster before Opening Day even arrives.
The Mets have the financial firepower to swing things in a different direction at any moment. That much isn’t in question. But so far, their offseason feels more reactive than proactive - more patchwork than power move.
Enter Cristian Pache.
Once one of the most hyped prospects in the Braves’ system, Pache is now 27 and trying to keep his major league dream alive. He’s signed a minor league deal with the Mets, complete with a non-roster invite to spring training. It’s a low-risk move for New York, but it also speaks to where Pache is in his career - fighting for a spot, not guaranteed one.
Mets fans might remember Pache from his early days in Atlanta, where he was once penciled in as the center fielder of the future. That future never quite materialized.
Since being traded in the Matt Olson deal nearly four years ago, Pache has bounced around - the Mets are now his sixth organization. It’s been a winding road, marked by flashes of promise but never sustained success at the plate.
Defensively, Pache still brings it. His glove has never been the issue.
But offensively? The numbers tell the story.
A .181 career batting average across 251 MLB games, with just seven home runs and 49 RBI - it’s been a grind. And at this point, it’s fair to say he is what he is at the plate: a glove-first outfielder who hasn’t been able to put it together offensively at the highest level.
He didn’t see any big league action in 2025, spending most of the year with the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate in Reno. There, he posted a .251/.351/.389 slash line with five homers, eight steals, 15 doubles, and 25 RBI over 70 games. The plate discipline was encouraging - 34 walks to 77 strikeouts - but injuries limited his availability, once again preventing him from building momentum.
With Brandon Nimmo out of the picture, the Mets do have a need in the outfield. But let’s be honest - Pache isn’t being brought in to solve that problem.
He’s a depth piece, a flyer, a spring training story to watch. If he makes the roster, it’ll be because he shows something new - or because the Mets’ outfield depth chart takes another hit.
And in a quirky twist, Pache’s arrival in New York puts him one team away from completing the NL East bingo card. He’s now suited up for the Braves, Phillies, Marlins, and Mets.
Only the Nationals remain. If he ever lands in D.C., he might as well get a commemorative patch stitched on his jersey.
For now, though, Cristian Pache is a Met - and another subplot in an offseason that’s been more about questions than answers in Flushing.