When the Mets decided to sell at this year’s trade deadline, nearly every veteran was playing elsewhere by August 1st.
However, one key player puzzled fans regarding why he remained on the roster. Now, that reason has finally been revealed.
The Mets couldn’t find a trade partner for Daniel Vogelbach
According to John Heyman of the New York Post, nobody wanted the 30-year-old.
“The Mets tried in-season to trade Daniel Vogelbach, ” Heyman reported Thursday. “No takers.”
Vogelbach finished the 2023 campaign, appearing in 104 games and slashing .233/.339/.404 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs.
The lack of interest in Vogelbach likely didn’t surprise the Flushing faithful. Still, the reasoning manager Buck Showalter kept playing the Florida native will shock supporters of the blue and orange.
Management wanted Vogelbach in the lineup
According to Mike Puma of the New York Post, Showalter questioned why Vogelbach remained on the team when he wasn’t moved by the deadline. He often clashed heads with management regarding who should play in the designated hitter spot.
Showalter viewed the designated hitter spot as one that should be used on a rotation, allowing position players a partial rest while remaining in the lineup. The 67-year-old considered Vogelbach’s limited skill set and lackluster production as detrimental to the team’s ability to win.
What should the Mets do with Vogelbach?
While the 30-year-old is under team control through the 2024 season, the Mets control his baseball fate, so should they bring him back?
No, they should not.
The Mets are undergoing a youth movement, and with many of the organization’s top prospects looking to take massive strides in 2024, keeping Vogelbach on the roster would clog the designated hitter position, resulting in those prospects getting fewer plate appearances.
In addition, Vogelbach can’t effectively play the field at the major league level, so he wouldn’t offer whoever takes over as the Mets manager much flexibility regarding lineup construction.
How will the Mets get rid of Vogelbach?
They have two options.
The first is by attempting to ship off the 30-year-old, but given the lack of interest at the trade deadline, that is the more unlikely option.
The more realistic and second option would be not to tender him a contract, resulting in the team losing control and Vogelbach entering free agency.
Hopefully, Vogelbach can bounce back for whoever he suits up for in 2024, but it appears his Mets tenure has come to a conclusion.