By Jordan Long
The New York Mets cut ties with 1st baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Gonzalez signed a 1 year-deal with the Mets on January 18th, 2018 after Atlanta released him following a trade. They were hoping he would be healthy and be the everyday 1st baseman this season.
Gonzalez started in 57 games at first base and committed 2 errors. It wasn’t his fielding that cost him his job, but his hitting. Gonzalez struggled at the plate. He is hitting .237 with 26 RBI’s. Gonzalez wasn’t hitting the long ball with only 6 home runs. He was striking out with 34. It seemed like Gonzalez was pressing at the plate and was trying to make contact with any pitch he saw. This forced him to swing at pitches out of the zone.
The Mets couldn’t wait any longer for him to find his swing. They decided it was time to let him go. Gonzalez is a free agent and can pick which team he plays for next.
A team who could be calling him is the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox 1st baseman is Mitch Moreland. He is batting .287 with 10 home runs and 30 RBI’s. Fielding wise he has 1 error so far. After Moreland, the position is not experienced. The Red Sox backup 1st baseman is Sam Travis, who has 37 games at the MLB level and 22 starts at 1st base.
If the Red Sox decide to agree to a contract with Gonzalez, that adds veteran knowledge to 1st base. The Red Sox must tell him he won’t be the everyday 1st baseman but will play when Moreland needs a day off. He will also pitch hit in close games.
Gonzalez can still play Major League Baseball but not as an everyday 1st baseman. The Boston Red Sox make a lot of sense as a landing spot. Gonzalez will make the best decision for him. It may not be in the next few weeks, but he will be in a Major League uniform at some point again this season.
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