JUPITER, Fla. — Talk to a Mets official and they will publicly praise the work of Brett Baty and Mark Vientos. They will say both are making the team out of spring training regardless of whether they make a late addition.
And yet, they are, at minimum, considering a late addition.
Top team executives met again Thursday to discuss if J.D. Davis fits their roster and 2024 agenda — and they are not doing it just as a due diligence exercise. They have real interest in a reunion with the righty-swinger, who was officially released on Monday by the Giants not long after they signed Matt Chapman to play third base. The Mets had spoken multiple times to Davis’ representative, Matt Hannaford. A decision where Davis goes is expected in the next few days.
Davis was due to make $6.9 million with the Giants in 2024, but instead received termination pay of $1.1 million. As a righty with some power, an ability to play first or third and a 103 OPS-plus last year, and 118 OPS-plus over the last five, Davis is drawing interest beyond just the Mets, for whom he played 335 games from 2019 until an ill-fated deal to San Francisco at the 2022 trade deadline.
“We always could use more help and I am not going to be one to turn my nose up to more good hitters and more offense and more depth, but ultimately it’s not my decision,” Brandon Nimmo told my colleague Mike Puma, who asked about Davis. “But I will definitely love it if it happens.”
The Mets began the offseason envisioning that Ronny Mauricio could be their 2024 third baseman or at least fight it out with Baty and Vientos. But he tore his ACL in December and is probably lost for the season. The Mets have praised the work of Baty and Vientos, but scouts that have followed the team this spring have been more dubious if either has the defensive chops to handle the position. With Baty, there is wonder if he is also still playing too edgy and putting too much pressure on himself, which was an issue last season.
Nevertheless, with two weeks until the opener, the Mets were still dedicated to their overall philosophy for 2024 of making sure they learn about their youngsters while trying to contend. Thus, Baty and Vientos are earmarked to both make the team, with Baty as the primary third baseman and Vientos getting a large dose of DH at-bats.
Can Davis fit in that ecosystem?
The answer is yes, though it would guarantee D.J. Stewart begins the year in the minors and Ji-Man Choi and Luke Voit would be able to opt out if not told they are on the Opening Day roster. The bench would then be Omar Narvaez as the backup catcher, Davis moving between third, first and DH, Joey Wendle as the backup infielder and Tyrone Taylor as the fourth outfielder.
Without Davis, that last positional roster spot likely goes to Choi or Stewart to provide a lefty counterbalance to Vientos.
Davis is right-handed. But he also gives a third-base option in case Baty and Vientos are a flameout. Looking at the young players is the priority of this Mets season. But contending is priority 1A. And Davis would provide a better regular alternative than Wendle.
Davis hardly has a sterling reputation as a defender. But he was tied for eighth among third baseman in Outs Above Average in 2023 with two well-regarded fielders, Nolan Arenado and Jose Ramirez, just ahead of Chapman. It is an indicator that not every metric should go unchallenged. But it also suggests that Davis, who played the 15th-most innings at third last year (a career-high 915 ²/₃), can man the position if Baty, in particular, does not rise after a discouraging rookie season.
If the Mets were 100 percent sold that Baty and/or Vientos could handle this position well, they would not be at least trying for Davis. He would, at best, be veteran depth and, at worst, a safety net if all goes to hell at the hot corner.
“He had a great year last year, and the prospect of having him return would be awesome,” Nimmo said. “I know him very well and he’s a great guy and I think he could definitely help us out, but I don’t make those decisions.”
David Stearns, at the behest of Steve Cohen, does. And he is thinking about it.
