WASHINGTON — After addressing the left-handed aspect of their designated hitter state of affairs late final month the Mets accomplished the equation Tuesday earlier than shifting to the bullpen.
They acquired veteran right-handed hitter Darin Ruf from the Giants in a commerce for J.D. Davis and minor league pitchers Thomas Szapucki, Carson Seymour and Nick Zwack. In a separate commerce, the Mets acquired right-handed reliever Mychal Givens from the Cubs for minor league right-hander Saul Gonzalez.
The strikes bolstered the Mets’ depth, however catcher and left-handed aid went unaddressed, leaving query marks in each spots. Within the days and weeks earlier than the commerce deadline, the Mets acquired left-handed hitters Daniel Vogelbach and Tyler Naquin from the Pirates and Reds, respectively.
The 36-year-old Ruf owns an .886 OPS in opposition to lefties and can present a sturdier presence within the right-handed DH spot than Davis, who struggled within the position this season.
“[Ruf] is without doubt one of the guys I do know our individuals focused, and we predict it’s a very good addition,” supervisor Buck Showalter stated earlier than the Mets confronted the Nationals. “It’s a very good piece and one thing we must be higher at.”
Givens, 32, went 6-2 with a 2.66 ERA in 40 appearances for the Cubs this season. He'll be a part of Adam Ottavino, Seth Lugo and Trevor Could (who shall be activated from the injured record on Wednesday) in giving the Mets a high-upside, right-handed bullpen presence main into Edwin Diaz.
The Mets had talked to the Cubs about David Robertson, in accordance with a supply, earlier than the veteran reliever was traded to the Phillies. Catcher Willson Contreras (who finally remained with the Cubs) was additionally on the Mets’ radar. Common supervisor Billy Eppler, nevertheless, discovered the asking value too steep for each Robertson and Contreras.
Eppler additionally wasn’t enthralled with the asking value for left-handed relievers in the marketplace. The Tigers’ Andrew Chafin was a risk, in accordance with a supply.
“We truly did come shut on the left-handed market, however simply couldn’t get the worth level to an space we thought was affordable sufficient for us, given the place we had been within the season and what we had been going to should yield to do this,” Eppler stated, including the group has inner choices that may be thought of earlier than the tip of the season and hasn’t misplaced religion in veteran Joely Rodriguez, who has pitched to a 5.72 ERA this season.
Eppler stated the mission at this commerce deadline was to enhance with out surrendering the group’s prime prospects. It’s a gaggle that features names akin to Francisco Alvarez, Brett Baty, Alex Ramirez, Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio.
“One of many issues now we have talked about right here is attempting to take care of that organizational self-discipline to attempt to crush any urge to make a snap or impulsive choice and quit massive quantities of future World Sequence odds or expectation simply in change for marginal good points proper now,” Eppler stated. “I feel a few of that undisciplined considering can result in years of mediocrity.”
Showalter stated Ruf will most likely be a part of the Mets in time for the Wednesday afternoon sequence finale in opposition to the Nationals.
“[The Giants] acquired a very good participant and we acquired a very good participant, and it’s a type of issues that I feel will work out for each golf equipment,” Showalter stated. “J.D. has been a very good teammate, and he’s accomplished some good issues for us and been instrumental in a few of our wins. We hope he does nicely, and he'll.”
Davis had a .238/.324/.359 slash line with 4 homers and 21 RBIs in 66 video games for the Mets this season. The Mets had been affected person with him for a lot of the season, hopeful that he was on the verge of a breakout due to his sturdy peripheral numbers, however he by no means rebounded in a passable method. Davis shared the DH spot with Dominic Smith a lot of this season.
“It was slightly little bit of ups and downs,” Davis stated. “It was extra so of getting a very good sport after which not enjoying as a part of the system that was over right here. … It’s actual onerous to get your rhythm going, particularly you probably have a four-hit sport or hit a house run and you aren't within the lineup the subsequent day or for the subsequent three days.”
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