The New York Mets announced the signings of Hunter Strickland, Melky Cabrera, Gordon Beckham, Erasmo Ramirez, and Ryan Cordell. The Mets set their player pool at 45 and are expected to add all five players to the mix for the upcoming season, which is set to begin at the end of July.
Hunter Strickland
Strickland started the 2020 season with the Washington Nationals but was released after a miserable spring training. He allowed nine runs in 6 plus innings and had his worst outcome against the Boston Red Sox. Strickland allowed three runs in a third of an inning in that game after an ERA of 5.55 last season.
However, Strickland has found success at the back end of the bullpen before. He had as many as 14 saves back in 2018 with the San Fransisco Giants and won a World Series with them in 2014.
The hard-throwing right-hander has had plenty of controversy in his brief MLB tenure. He was the pitcher that started the infamous brawl with Bryce Harper. Strickland has also had many injuries, including a mishap in the weight room. In 2019, he missed two months with a torn lat muscle with the Mariners and only pitched in 28 games.
Melky Cabrera
In what was a bit of a surprising move with all the outfield depth the Mets have, they signed Cabrera to a deal. With the DH coming the National League and the question mark about Yoenis Cespedes, Cabrera may end up filling a role as a potential designated hitter. He is a switch hitter with some power and reconnects with former teammate Robinson Cano.
The longtime New York Yankee has played on seven different teams since then and has always been a solid veteran after his PED suspension. His career-high in home runs came with the Kansas City Royals in 2011 when he hit 18. Cabrera has also hit over .300 three times in his career and is a lifetime .285 hitter.
Gordon Beckham
The Mets added a bit of infield depth with Beckham. The 33-year old veteran started spring training with the San Diego Padres but was released after going 0-14. He previously played for the Detroit Tigers in 2019 and has played 11 seasons in the Major Leagues. He won the Rookie of the Year in the American League in 2009 with the Chicago White Sox.
His power drastically dropped going three years from 2017-2019 without hitting a home run. However, he had as many as 16 in a season earlier in his career. Beckham is more known for his glove, as he can play anywhere in the infield, which helps him stay in the majors with his lifetime .237 batting average.
Erasmo Ramirez/ Ryan Cordell
The Mets released both Ramirez and Cordell this weekend but signed them both on Monday after a great spring training. Ramirez allowed one run in eight innings before the shutdown of the MLB season. Cordell hit a home run and batted .270 this season and played exceptionally well in the outfield.
With the Mets roster now set at 50 players, they will still have ten more spots to complete their 60 man team. While many of these signings are for depth, they can play a crucial role if there are injuries or anyone gets sick. The Mets have seen what it has been like in recent years to have to replace some key starters.
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