The 73-79 New York Mets are essentially out of the playoffs race at this point, which is a shame considering they led the NL East division for much of the first half and actually a sizable portion of the second. That’s not, however, Javier Baez’s fault.
While he wasn’t perhaps the best fit for the Mets, they acquired Baez in a deadline deal with the Chicago Cubs. His tenure in New York didn’t start particularly well, and there was a spat with fans over the constant booing towards players at one point, but there is no denying that the dynamic shortstop has made a positive impact in Queens.
In 39 games and 147 plate appearances, Baez is hitting .307/.383/.555 with a .938 OPS with the Mets. He also has nine homers and five stolen bases over that span, with 19 RBI and 29 runs scored.
The Mets could be able to afford Baez, according to Lindor
Seeing how he can produce in the Big Apple, Mets’ superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor, who is friends with Baez, believes that the team can re-sign his fellow countryman in the offseason to a long-term deal.
“I know Javy does fit in, in what we’re trying to accomplish here. He’s a winner, he’s plays the game as hard as he can day in and day out. He gives it his best, and he’s my boy too. That helps. At the end of the day, I know what he’s capable of doing, we’ve all seen it. His approach has been outstanding, and he’s definitely helped us win a couple more games in September for sure,” Lindor told SNY on Wednesday.
Baez has been on a tear since returning from the injured list on August 22, hitting .343 (34-for-99) with 23 runs, seven doubles, seven dingers, 15 RBI, nine walks, a .420 OBP, a .626 SLG and a 1.046 OPS.
Media members asked Lindor if he thought Mets’ owner Steve Cohen could afford pairing the two infielders together for the long term.
“Yeah, yeah, of course, of course,” Lindor said, smiling.
It’s believed that Baez could command between $125 million and $200 million in free agency.