If there is a player in the New York Mets camp who is eager to make an impression, that’s Melky Cabrera. The veteran outfielder had been out of a job for months before the Mets came knocking on his door a couple of weeks ago, most precisely on June 29.
His best years are obviously behind him, since he’s 35 years old. The Mets had him for a workout in February, even asking him to take some ground balls at first base, but an offer never came. Then, the pandemic struck. Thankfully, with teams looking for veteran depth and guile, there was an offer this time around.
“What they did tell me was to just come in and work hard,†Cabrera said through an interpreter. “You just never know what happens. So I’m coming here to work hard and give it my all.â€
The Mets are very deep
At this point, Cabrera knows the drill. He is familiarized with the fact that it isn’t certain that he will make the New York Mets’ final roster. After all, the team has plenty of outfielders, including Brandon Nimmo, Yoenis Cespedes, J.D. Davis, Jake Marisnick, Michael Conforto, and Dom Smith.
For his career, Cabrera, who is close friends with Mets’ second baseman Robinson Cano, has slashed .285/.334/.417 with 144 home runs and 101 stolen bases in 1887 games. He has a 101 wRC+, which is essentially average production. However, last season he had an 85 wRC+ mark and a rather mediocre .280/.313/.399 line with the Pirates.
His ability to switch-hit would give manager Luis Rojas a bit of versatility at the time of writing the lineup.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity,†Cabrera said remembering his time with the Yankees. “This is where I first started my career. And I’m grateful to the team for giving me this new opportunity to continue playing here.â€