Welcome to the "2024 What-If Mets," a series exploring how the Mets' season might have unfolded if they had signed or acquired rumored players from the previous offseason. Last year’s Winter Meetings were notably quiet for the Mets, with one of the first major rumors being their interest in outfielder https://www.storenymets.com/collections/omar-narvaez-jersey Michael A. Taylor. While Taylor has carved out a respectable career as a defense-first outfielder, especially during his time with the Nationals, the Mets ultimately opted for a different path. Instead of signing Taylor, they inked Bronx native Harrison Bader to a $10.5 million deal, while Taylor joined the Pittsburgh Pirates for $4 million.
Taylor, coming off a career-high 21-home-run season with the Twins in 2023, was seen as a potential defensive anchor for the Mets' outfield. His presence would have allowed Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte to shift to the corners, reducing their defensive workload. However, Taylor’s 2024 campaign with the Pirates was far from memorable. At the plate, he struggled significantly, hitting just .193/.253/.290 with only 15 extra-base hits in 300 plate appearances. His 52 OPS+ marked the worst offensive season of his career, leading to his release on September 25th. While his defense remained solid, contributing 1.4 dWAR (the fourth-best mark of his career), his lack of offensive production made his season one-dimensional and disappointing.
In contrast, Bader had moments in 2024 that rivaled some of his best career performances. Playing in more games and accumulating more plate appearances than ever before, Bader delivered a mixed but ultimately solid https://www.storenymets.com/collections/reed-garrett-jersey season. While his 0.2 dWAR wasn’t among his top defensive years, he still held his own in the outfield. Offensively, Bader posted a .236/.284/.376 slash line with 12 home runs and an 86 OPS+, contributing 1.0 bWAR. His energy and enthusiasm also made him a fan favorite, as he embraced his New York roots and played with visible passion.
When comparing the two, Taylor and Bader ended up with nearly identical bWAR values (0.9 for Taylor and 1.0 for Bader), but their paths to those numbers were quite different. Taylor relied heavily on his elite defense to offset his offensive struggles, while Bader balanced a decent offensive year with adequate defense. Statistically, the difference between the two was minimal, but Bader’s ability to contribute more consistently at the plate gave him the edge.
From a visual perspective, Bader looked more impactful in center field, and his occasional offensive bursts provided a spark the Mets needed at times. While Taylor might have been a slight defensive upgrade, his offensive limitations likely wouldn’t have made a significant difference in the Mets’ overall season. Given Nimmo’s willingness to play center and the emergence of several outfield prospects, the https://www.storenymets.com/collections/francisco-lindor-jersey Bader signing felt like a sensible, low-risk move that paid off as expected.
In hindsight, the Mets likely made the right call by choosing Bader over Taylor. While Taylor’s defense would have been valuable, his offensive struggles might have limited his role as the season progressed.
Welcome to the "2024 What-If Mets," a series exploring how the Mets' season might have unfolded if they had signed or acquired rumored players from the previous offseason. Last year’s Winter Meetings were notably quiet for the Mets, with one of the first major rumors being their interest in outfielder https://www.storenymets.com/collections/omar-narvaez-jersey Michael A. Taylor. While Taylor has carved out a respectable career as a defense-first outfielder, especially during his time with the Nationals, the Mets ultimately opted for a different path. Instead of signing Taylor, they inked Bronx native Harrison Bader to a $10.5 million deal, while Taylor joined the Pittsburgh Pirates for $4 million.
Taylor, coming off a career-high 21-home-run season with the Twins in 2023, was seen as a potential defensive anchor for the Mets' outfield. His presence would have allowed Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte to shift to the corners, reducing their defensive workload. However, Taylor’s 2024 campaign with the Pirates was far from memorable. At the plate, he struggled significantly, hitting just .193/.253/.290 with only 15 extra-base hits in 300 plate appearances. His 52 OPS+ marked the worst offensive season of his career, leading to his release on September 25th. While his defense remained solid, contributing 1.4 dWAR (the fourth-best mark of his career), his lack of offensive production made his season one-dimensional and disappointing.
In contrast, Bader had moments in 2024 that rivaled some of his best career performances. Playing in more games and accumulating more plate appearances than ever before, Bader delivered a mixed but ultimately solid https://www.storenymets.com/collections/reed-garrett-jersey season. While his 0.2 dWAR wasn’t among his top defensive years, he still held his own in the outfield. Offensively, Bader posted a .236/.284/.376 slash line with 12 home runs and an 86 OPS+, contributing 1.0 bWAR. His energy and enthusiasm also made him a fan favorite, as he embraced his New York roots and played with visible passion.
When comparing the two, Taylor and Bader ended up with nearly identical bWAR values (0.9 for Taylor and 1.0 for Bader), but their paths to those numbers were quite different. Taylor relied heavily on his elite defense to offset his offensive struggles, while Bader balanced a decent offensive year with adequate defense. Statistically, the difference between the two was minimal, but Bader’s ability to contribute more consistently at the plate gave him the edge.
From a visual perspective, Bader looked more impactful in center field, and his occasional offensive bursts provided a spark the Mets needed at times. While Taylor might have been a slight defensive upgrade, his offensive limitations likely wouldn’t have made a significant difference in the Mets’ overall season. Given Nimmo’s willingness to play center and the emergence of several outfield prospects, the https://www.storenymets.com/collections/francisco-lindor-jersey Bader signing felt like a sensible, low-risk move that paid off as expected.
In hindsight, the Mets likely made the right call by choosing Bader over Taylor. While Taylor’s defense would have been valuable, his offensive struggles might have limited his role as the season progressed.
Welcome to the "2024 What-If Mets," a series exploring how the Mets' season might have unfolded if they had signed or acquired rumored players from the previous offseason. Last year’s Winter Meetings were notably quiet for the Mets, with one of the first major rumors being their interest in outfielder https://www.storenymets.com/collections/omar-narvaez-jersey Michael A. Taylor. While Taylor has carved out a respectable career as a defense-first outfielder, especially during his time with the Nationals, the Mets ultimately opted for a different path. Instead of signing Taylor, they inked Bronx native Harrison Bader to a $10.5 million deal, while Taylor joined the Pittsburgh Pirates for $4 million.
Taylor, coming off a career-high 21-home-run season with the Twins in 2023, was seen as a potential defensive anchor for the Mets' outfield. His presence would have allowed Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte to shift to the corners, reducing their defensive workload. However, Taylor’s 2024 campaign with the Pirates was far from memorable. At the plate, he struggled significantly, hitting just .193/.253/.290 with only 15 extra-base hits in 300 plate appearances. His 52 OPS+ marked the worst offensive season of his career, leading to his release on September 25th. While his defense remained solid, contributing 1.4 dWAR (the fourth-best mark of his career), his lack of offensive production made his season one-dimensional and disappointing.
In contrast, Bader had moments in 2024 that rivaled some of his best career performances. Playing in more games and accumulating more plate appearances than ever before, Bader delivered a mixed but ultimately solid https://www.storenymets.com/collections/reed-garrett-jersey season. While his 0.2 dWAR wasn’t among his top defensive years, he still held his own in the outfield. Offensively, Bader posted a .236/.284/.376 slash line with 12 home runs and an 86 OPS+, contributing 1.0 bWAR. His energy and enthusiasm also made him a fan favorite, as he embraced his New York roots and played with visible passion.
When comparing the two, Taylor and Bader ended up with nearly identical bWAR values (0.9 for Taylor and 1.0 for Bader), but their paths to those numbers were quite different. Taylor relied heavily on his elite defense to offset his offensive struggles, while Bader balanced a decent offensive year with adequate defense. Statistically, the difference between the two was minimal, but Bader’s ability to contribute more consistently at the plate gave him the edge.
From a visual perspective, Bader looked more impactful in center field, and his occasional offensive bursts provided a spark the Mets needed at times. While Taylor might have been a slight defensive upgrade, his offensive limitations likely wouldn’t have made a significant difference in the Mets’ overall season. Given Nimmo’s willingness to play center and the emergence of several outfield prospects, the https://www.storenymets.com/collections/francisco-lindor-jersey Bader signing felt like a sensible, low-risk move that paid off as expected.
In hindsight, the Mets likely made the right call by choosing Bader over Taylor. While Taylor’s defense would have been valuable, his offensive struggles might have limited his role as the season progressed.