Jason Kipnis
(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

The 2017 MLB season wasn’t particularly memorable for either the New York Mets or Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis.

With the annual general manager meetings in Orlando on the horizon, the New York Mets’ search for offensive answers, especially at second base, will officially begin next week.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post is convinced that the Mets will pursue current Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis in the coming days. One of his trade scenarios has the Mets sending away starter Robert Gsellman and minor league 2B Luis Guillorme in return for Kipnis.

After a tough 2017 that saw Kipnis play in just 90 games and finish with an ugly .232/.291/.414 stat line, there is no better way for the veteran infielder to regain a leadership role than under the bright lights at Citi Field.

Joining the Mets would do wonders for Kipnis, as he would be reunited with both manager Mickey Callaway, who was Cleveland’s pitching coach for the majority of his career on the Indians, and fellow infielder Asdrubal Cabrera, who is guaranteed to stay with the Mets in 2018.

In 2015, Kipnis broke out with a .303 average, 86 runs, and 53 RBI. It doesn’t take a genius to know that the Mets aren’t contenders in 2018. However, Kipnis can help mentor New York’s future stud infielders Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith.

In order for a trade to go through, Cleveland will most likely have to eat some of Kipnis’ money if his option is picked up. With the emergence of promising youngsters Jose Ramirez and Bradley Zimmer, it makes all too much sense for the Indians to cut ties with Kipnis.

Kipnis is the utility player New York needs

What many people forget is that Kipnis brings much more to the table than the average 30-year-old. The two-time All-Star played a large chunk of the 2017 season in center field, a position that New York could always use a backup for when looking at injuries to their outfielders in recent years.

At 30 years old, Kipnis is more than capable of playing at a high-level, especially in October. If the Mets can an acquire Kipnis and make the postseason in the coming years, his presence will pay off in dividends. In the 2016 World Series as a member of the Indians, Kipnis hit a pristine .290 with six runs, two home runs, and four RBI.

Kipnis is a problem solver for New York’s 2B woes, and Mets’ management can very easily acquire him this offseason.