The Mets are close to completing a one-year deal with Alejandro De Aza, who will split time with Juan Lagares in center field, according to a person in baseball with knowledge of the situation.
In spring training before the 2015 season, the Mets signed Lagares to a four-year, $23 million contract extension, betting that he would continue to improve after winning a Gold Glove Award in 2014 and showing improvement at the plate when given playing time. But over the course of the 2015 season, he continued to struggle against right-handed pitching.
De Aza, who will turn 32 in April, is a left-handed batter who can play all three outfield positions. He played for Baltimore, Boston and San Francisco last season, batting .262 with a .333 on-base percentage in 114 games over all. Having played for five teams in his eight-year major league career, De Aza has never won a Gold Glove or made an All-Star team, but against right-handed pitching, he is batting .274 with a .338 on-base percentage.
Lagares had a .253 batting average and a .271 on-base percentage against righties in 2015.
After winning their first pennant in 15 years, the Mets have targeted solid veterans to complement their younger players. They acquired Neil Walker and Asdrubal Cabrera to play the middle infield, they re-signed Bartolo Colon and Jerry Blevins to add veterans to their rotation and bullpen, and now they are nearing a deal with De Aza to add depth to their outfield. None of the signings was especially flashy or expensive, but each one filled a need.
Source: nytimes.com
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