The Mets’ season is drawing to a close, with another playoff-less October at Citi Field. But while the stadium will be silent, the questions surrounding it will be deafening.
One of those questions will be centered around the team’s big trade deadline acquisition in Javier Baez, who is set to become a free agent. Will New York bring back the infielder long term after a successful stint with the Mets? Team president Sandy Alderson seemed to manage expectations, but did leave the door open for a return.
“Is it possible? Yes. Is it realistic? Maybe,” Alderson said at his end-of-season press conference on Wednesday. “It’s hard for me to put odds on it. does Javy want to be here? Did he enjoy his stay? What can be expected of him over the next several years? A lot of things go into any free agent decision.”
Baez has been a force at the plate for the Mets since arriving from Chicago, slashing .316/.387/.542 with nine home runs in 44 games. He is also a plus defender that would create a dynamic middle infield alongside his longtime friend Francisco Lindor. Baez will likely command a big contract, and the Mets just dished out a record-breaking one to Lindor this past offseason, but Alderson didn’t take a potential Baez contract completely off of the table.
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“To say ‘No, there's absolutely no way that Javy Báez can be part of the Mets next year,’ no, I wouldn't be prepared to say that at this point,” Alderson said.
Baez had his troubles with the Mets, particularly with the fans during the thumbs down controversy that led to Baez making an apology after he said the gesture was the team’s way of “booing back” at the fans that expressed their displeasure with the team’s second-half slide. But individually, Baez has been one of the team’s best bats since arriving, and has shown his upside at the plate, in the field and on the bases, which will make him a coveted free agent target despite his susceptibility to strikeouts.
“Baez has been really exceptional for us since he came off the IL, on which he was placed shortly after we acquired him,” Alderson said. “Javy, as we've all seen, impacts the game in a variety of ways. Not only offensively with his power, but on the bases, in the field.”
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