Justin Turner has signed with the Blue Jays, taking a clear fit off the board for a Mets team in desperate need of another veteran bat in their lineup to bring more security to the DH spot.
Keith says it somehow makes the team’s quiet offseason look worse.
“I guess they were dead serious about that $10 million budget they had left to spend, and Adam Ottavino took half of it,” Keith said. “If that stopped you from bringing home Justin Turner for $13 million, that’s unfortunate.
That just shows you where they are. They’re not interested in that? They’re not looking for a bat?”
Still, Keith believes the Mets have the opportunity to surprise in 2024, but they would be heading into spring training in far better shape had they actually showed some aggression this winter, not watch as clear fits signed with other teams.
“They go out and get arguably the worst starting pitcher in baseball, and signed him early,” Keith said of the Luis Severino signing. “Then you throw $10 million at Harrison Bader after the year he had, where the Yankees put him on waivers…it’s not the same energy taking those guys specifically from their last uniform, being the Yankee pinstripes, to putting them in Queens because they know the market.”