Last night, news broke that Mets third baseman David Wright would miss significant time due to a herniated disc in his neck. On Friday, Ken Rosenthal provided the first timetable: four-to-six weeks, at minimum, which means Wright is out through the All-Star Break, and likely into the second half.
The Mets, now three games back in the National League East, are tasked with the same challenge they faced last summer: finding a suitable stand-in at the hot corner. Unfortunately for Terry Collins and company, injuries to Lucas Duda and Travis d'Arnaud have stretched their lineup thin. As such, continuing to rely upon the underperforming Wilmer Flores at third base might not be a feasible option.
If the Mets do look for an upgrade to Flores and their up-and-down types (like Ty Kelly and Eric Campbell), then just whom might they entertain? Here are four candidates of varying likelihoods.
Dilson Herrera
Perhaps this is cheating, since Herrera is already in the organization. Regardless, he might be the the most practical fix to New York's problems. Acquired in the Marlon Byrd trade a few seasons back, Herrera has hit .215/.308/.383 (a 94 OPS+) over his previous big-league stints.
Those numbers aren't amazing, but it's important to remember he was a non-elite prospect playing against big-league competition as a 20- and 21-year-old. The catch with Herrera is that he hasn't played a position beyond second base since 2014. The Mets seem unlikely to move Neil Walker to the hot corner, so Herrera would have to get reacquainted with third while also standing his own against top-flight pitching. That's a lot to ask from anyone, let alone a 22-year-old.
Trevor Plouffe
Over the previous five seasons, Plouffe has developed into a league-average hitter with surprising thump. His age-30 campaign is off to a horrid start, however, as both his power and on-base numbers are below their norms. Plouffe has enough of a track record to think he'll return to being a tolerable starting option for at least the next, say, season and a half, which, coincidentally, is how much team control he has remaining. For those reasons, the Twins are highly unlikely to just give Plouffe away -- now or in a few weeks' time. Presumably, that reality will keep the Mets from making a deal for him.
Yunel Escobar
There's no telling whether the Angels will take a seller's approach at the deadline. Even if they don't, Escobar could be on the move -- if only because he's always on the move, or on the verge of being on the move. He's having another solid season at the plate and that makes him tolerable in the field, where his big arm plays better than his reactions. Beyond the defense, the biggest downsides to Escobar are his personality (the reason he's been traded five times since the end of the 2012 season) and his $7 million club option for next season. Factor in how he's unlikely to accept a bench role, and acquiring him could lead to more headaches down the road -- albeit with the benefit of better play in the interim.
Kelly Johnson
The safest and least rewarding option. The Mets acquired Johnson from the Braves last July, and there's nothing preventing the two sides from hooking up again. Granted, Johnson hasn't played as well this season as he did last year, and probably won't bring Juan Uribe with him -- lest he annoy the Indians. Yet Johnson's 58 OPS+ would somehow represent an upgrade over the Mets' incumbents, and his defensive versatility and willingness to accept a bench role make him a workable fit in the case Wright returns earlier and/or better than expected. Worst comes to worst, the cost of acquiring Johnson wouldn't preclude the Mets from adding a superior option should one arise as the deadline nears.
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