Veteran Giants second baseman Joe Panik made the transition to the hometown New York Mets for the last couple of months in 2019. With the Mets infield full, he has moved above the border to attempt to resurrect his career with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Joe Panik putting in work on Labor Day. ? pic.twitter.com/l81LiKQCmU
— New York Mets (@Mets) September 2, 2019
Panik spent 39 games in Queens, where he hit .277/.333/.404 with two home runs and 12 runs batted in. The Mets signed Panik after Robinson Cano went down with a hamstring injury, and the Giants let him go at the perfect time for the Mets to scoop him up.
Third Team in Less Than a Year
Panik once was a staple of the Giants championship-caliber infield. His stats fell off after his All-Star season in 2015, and the deep alleys of Oracle Park did not play well Panik’s lack of power. Panik’s hard contact percentage increased over the last four seasons while his strikeout rate remained consistent.
Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio have the middle infield spots locked down, but Panik’s veteran presence will be a good influence for a Blue Jays team on the rise. He can step into the role Eric Sogard played in 2019, where he resurrected his career and discovered the power in his bat. The signing is also a good backup plan in case Biggio runs into a sophomore slump this season.