Jed Lowrie is looking to get back on the field in 2020. Brodie Van Wagenen and the New York Mets think that could happen as soon as spring training.
The New York Mets likely regret the contract they gave Jed Lowrie last offseason. They paid him $10 million last season to produce eight plate appearances. He missed the majority of the season with an injury that forced the Mets to remain baffled and/or completely secretive about.
However, the Mets are desperate for some strong depth. Lowrie was worth over 4 rWAR in both 2017 and 2018. It’s that elite level of play that drew the Mets to him last offseason. He just couldn’t stay healthy.
Even if the soon to be 36-year-old Lowrie never reaches that hight again he’s still likely going to be a very useful bench piece due to his defensive versatility. He has a chance to make an impact on this team in 2020.
According to Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News, New York Mets’ general manager Brodie Van Wagenen thinks he will.
Jed Lowrie update after Mets saw him last week. "We were pleased with his progress on where he’s at physically. We did some testing to measure his strengths & he’s progressing to the point where we’re optimistic of having him participate in a meaningful way in ST games," per BVW.
— Deesha (@DeeshaThosar) January 22, 2020
If Lowrie can play in spring training, that will bode well for the Mets bench. It allows them to replace Luis Guillorme with a proven major league piece. More importantly, it would give the Mets a strong switch hitter off the bench.
Every team is bitten by injuries during the course of a season. The best teams overcome those injuries with strong depth, just look at the 2019 New York Yankees. If the Mets want to make the playoffs in 2020, guys like Lowrie are going to have to produce.
Depth is everything in modern baseball. That’s especially true with the 26-man major league roster debuting in 2020. Teams can’t afford to give away spots on their bench.
Jed Lowrie has more than earned that spot with his play in 2017 and 2018. Having him healthy makes the Mets bench infinitely better.
