The Mets wasted no time of their seek for a chosen hitter.
Before even starting their first sport after the All-Star break, the membership introduced that it acquired first baseman/designated hitter Daniel Vogelbach from the Pittsburgh Pirates. In change, the Mets despatched reliever Colin Holderman to the Pirates.
“We wanted to get an offensive player in here,” normal supervisor Billy Eppler stated. “We think we did that in landing Vogey, someone who’s really excelled against right-handed pitching. Two thirds of the pitchers we face are right-handed, so he’ll be a presence in the order.”
“Everybody speaks highly of him,” Buck Showalter espoused after the Mets’ loss on Friday night time. “We look forward to getting him in here. He’s excited. It was tough talking to Colin, he’s been through a lot, but you have to give up quality to get quality.”
A left-handed hitter, Vogelbach is slashing .260/.365/.532 towards right-handed pitching this season. His .141/.267/.165 slash line towards lefties means he’ll seemingly be chained to the bench when a southpaw is beginning.
Vogelbach, 29 years previous and listed at 6′0″ and 270 kilos, hit .228 for the Pirates this yr with 12 dwelling runs in 75 video games. Known for an elite batting eye and massive energy, his on-base (.338) and slugging percentages (.430) look so much higher than his batting common. Vogelbach has taken a stroll in 14.4% of his plate appearances in 2022, the ninth-highest price of any MLB hitter (minimal 250 plate appearances.) When Vogelbach joins the Mets, which Eppler expects to be on Saturday, he could have the very best stroll price of anybody on the group.
Showalter spoke about what he thinks Vogelbach can deliver to his lineup.
“He’s been a really good, solid left-handed hitter against right-handed pitching. He’s a very selective hitter when you look at his knowledge of the strike zone. That’s something that every team is in need of.”
The Cubs drafted Vogelbach within the second spherical of the 2011 draft earlier than buying and selling him to Seattle in 2016, earlier than he ever performed within the majors. Though he served because the Mariners’ lone All-Star throughout their rebuilding season in 2019, Vogelbach by no means fairly panned out, ultimately shifting to the Blue Jays and Brewers earlier than signing with Pittsburgh as a free agent in March. In that 2019 season, he cracked 30 dwelling runs whereas hitting .208. But because of 92 walks, which was the fifth-most within the American League, he completed his profession yr with a .341 on-base share.
Vogelbach, who has not began a single sport at first base for the Pirates this yr, is about as DH as DH’s come. The common DH has been a godsend for him and can seemingly prolong his profession for a number of years. Last season, he began a career-high 52 video games at first base for the Brewers, who have been unable to make use of him as a DH. Eppler stated it’s to be decided whether or not he’ll play any first base, and infield coach Joey Cora could have a while to mildew him.
Currently taking part in in his seventh big-league season, Vogelbach additionally has a teensy tiny little bit of postseason expertise. He went 1-for-6 with a stroll in his appearances for the Brewers through the 2020 and 2021 playoffs.
Holderman, in the meantime, was extraordinarily serviceable for the Mets in his restricted innings. Back and forth between Triple-A and the Mets a number of occasions, the 26-year-old reliever posted a 2.04 ERA in 17.2 innings. He held hitters to a .183 common whereas not permitting a single dwelling run. The Mets took Holderman within the ninth spherical of the 2016 draft. As just lately as 2019, he was working as a starter of their minor league system.
“It was really difficult,” Eppler stated of dealing Holderman, who brought on the Pirates to “dig their heels in” and make it clear he was somebody they needed. “I gave him the news. In a way we’re having to rob Peter to pay Paul. Some of the conversations I had with other clubs has given me the feeling that there might be a little bit more robust relief market than the bats.”
With Dom Smith heading to the IL with an ankle damage, Vogelbach serves as the apparent substitute. The Mets began Travis Blankenhorn at DH on Friday, who’s a profession minor leaguer. While Vogelbach is a transparent improve at that division, his colander protection and allergy to left-handed pitching makes him very one dimensional.
When requested if this deal indicators that they’ll maintain bettering the offense, Eppler stated that the group is open-minded to something. But they’ve kicked off their deadline with somebody Eppler stated he remembers scouting in highschool, a man with the kind of profile to instantly turn out to be a Mets’ cult hero.
“In grabbing Daniel, we were able to get a power bat in here with plate discipline. He really fits our offensive philosophy. He makes good decisions in the batter’s box, swinging at strikes and not swinging at balls, great on-base percentage and great power. I’ve already talked to him on the phone and he said he’s ready to go.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com