Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |
The Mets surprised us with their timing in designating catcher Travis d'Arnaud for assignment on Sunday, but the d'Arnaud era was already essentially over in Queens.
For a while now, the team has seen Tomas Nido as its long-term answer at backup catcher. The Mets wanted to see what d'Arnaud had to offer after returning from Tommy John surgery, but did not expect to keep him beyond this season.
GM Brodie Van Wagenen talked to several teams last winter about trades involving d'Arnaud, and could return to those conversations now. Van Wagenen did not consider releasing the catcher during spring training, when he could have saved a significant portion of the $3.515 million owed to him on a contract that only became guaranteed on Opening Day.
D'Arnaud's elbow rehab, which stretched into spring, made it difficult to fully evaluate him in March. Devin Mesoraco, a possible replacement, was no longer viable defensively. Mesoraco decided to go home when the he couldn't find another major league job, and the Mets declined to release him for other minor league opportunities.
Today, Van Wagenen and his staff decided that enough was enough.
The Mets are in win-now mode and felt the need to act swiftly. D'Arnaud's 2-for-25 start at the plate and defensive lapses simply became too much.
A Mets career that began with so much fanfare - d'Arnaud, not Noah Syndergaard, was the centrepiece of the 2012 R.A. Dickey trade -- and came to include a World Series appearance and many injuries is now over.