The Mets are bringing A.J. Ellis into the fold as their major league strategy coordinator, according to The Athletic’s Will Sammon.
Ellis arrives with a track record in baseball operations, including time as a special assistant in the Padres’ front office. He also brings the kind of playing background that tends to translate well into a coaching role: a former catcher who spent 11 years in the majors after the Dodgers selected him in the 18th round of the 2003 MLB Draft.
For Dodgers fans, Ellis is the kind of name that still sticks. He was never the headliner in Los Angeles, but he carved out a long run as a trusted defensive backup, working behind the plate alongside Russell Martin and Yasmani Grandal.
When the Dodgers gave him a bigger workload, he made the most of it. In 2012, he posted the best season of his career with a 3.4 bWAR and a .270/.373/.414 slash line.
He followed that in 2013 with a 2.5 bWAR season, and even though his offense dipped, his defense remained strong.
Clayton Kershaw was one of the players who valued Ellis most, and he made that clear after the Dodgers traded the catcher in 2016 following nine seasons with the club.
“The pitcher-catcher relationship is pretty one-sided - we get all the credit, we take all the blame, and the catcher is just there,” Kershaw said in 2016.
“A.J. prepares harder than any of us and for 12 different guys every series. He has a servant’s heart; he really does.”
That reputation for preparation, defense and handling pitchers helps explain why Ellis has landed such a significant role with the Mets. New York is looking to straighten things out and push back toward the postseason, and Ellis now steps into that effort on the staff. And at least for the moment, he’ll be doing it for a team that isn’t a division rival, but a possible future National League opponent.
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Now the debate shifts to who should join them, with fans voting on one more National League spot from a pool that includes Dodgers prospects Eduardo Quintero and Charles Davalan, along with Padres infielder Justin DeCriscio. For a player development system that has already put two names on the roster, the final choice adds a little extra intrigue for Dodgers followers who have been tracking the fall circuit closely. [Read more 🡒]
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Padres Could Lose A Bullpen Weapon To A Familiar Rival
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Morejn has been extended a qualifying offer by San Diego and has until November 17 to decide whether to take it or test free agency, which leaves the door open for a familiar rival to make a run at him. For the Dodgers, the appeal is obvious: pairing Morejn with Daz would give them another high-end bullpen look, while also turning a Padres weapon into part of the same late-inning mix that has long frustrated opponents in the National League West. [Read more 🡒]