Luis Robert Jr.’s time with the Mets looked a lot different by October than it did when he arrived in January.
The appeal was obvious enough at the start. The Mets believed they were getting a center fielder who could be an upgrade over Tyrone Taylor, with the kind of package teams dream on: 25-plus home run power, elite defense in center, and above-average speed. The tools were there, even if some of the underlying concerns never really went away.
Then the injuries hit again. Robert landed on the Injured List with back issues from April 30 to July 20, and by the time he was ready to return, the roster around him had shifted in a major way.
A.J. Ewing had taken hold in center field and was putting together a strong case of his own.
In 58 games for the Mets, Robert hit .223/.303/.399 with 10 home runs while handling center field well. Ewing played nearly twice as many games and hit .252/.324/.376 with 11 home runs.
Ewing wasn’t perfect, and the Mets saw plenty of the age and inexperience that come with a young player still learning the job. But his speed, on both sides of the ball, gave the team a player who looked like he could grow into something close to what Robert has been at his best, and do it for the league minimum salary.
By the time Robert came back, Ewing had already locked down the everyday center field role, and Robert was left on the outside looking in. The Mets weren’t able to find a trade partner for him, and in August he was claimed off waivers by the Orioles. With a $20 million option looming, the Mets simply had no use for Robert as a fourth outfielder, and they weren’t going to place him ahead of Ewing on the depth chart.
It’s a rough ending to what seemed like a perfect fit on paper. Robert brought power, speed, and elite defense in center. But the Mets made the move they felt made the most sense, choosing a younger player they could develop rather than paying for the veteran version of the same profile.
In Other News...
Mets Look Ready To Move On From Mark Vientos For Good
Mark Vientos has become one of the more obvious names to watch as the Mets look ahead, especially with several clubs around the league trying to patch holes at first base or designated hitter. Arizona, San Diego and Cleveland each make some sense as landing spots because each has a need that Vientos could help fill, and for a team looking to trim costs, his profile could be attractive enough to keep in the conversation even without a big market bidding war.
For the Mets, the bigger picture is less about one specific trade partner than the sense that a change may be coming sooner rather than later. None of the interest being floated is confirmed, and theres no official transaction on the board yet, but the fit with those three teams does underline how movable Vientos could be if New York decides to keep reshaping the roster around other priorities. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Reunion Could Shape The Next Step For Several Key Bats
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His possible return comes at an important moment for a group of bats that still need direction, especially after the Mets moved on from director of hitting Jeff Albert after the regular season. If Long ends up back in the organization, his presence could have real impact on the development paths of players like Brett Baty, A.J. Ewing and Jared Young, which is why this interview could matter well beyond a routine coaching search. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Hitting Coach Search May Hint At A Bigger Staff Direction
The Mets search for a new hitting coach is starting to say as much about the kind of staff they want around the roster as it does about one open job. Among the candidates is Cubs assistant hitting coach John Mallee, whose ties to Pete Crow-Armstrong stand out as a useful layer in a coaching hire that could help bridge player development and big-league production.
For a club trying to sharpen its offensive direction, that kind of connection matters, especially when the market keeps nudging teams toward broader organizational planning. Around the league, other clubs are already thinking in those terms, from the Phillies sorting out their outfield and veteran timeline to the Astros and Brewers weighing front-office moves, which is a reminder that one coaching decision can fit into a much larger offseason blueprint. [Read more 🡒]