Underrated All-Star Slugger Reportedly Could Be Free Agent Fit For Mets This Offseason

New York could look into adding an underrated All-Star slugger this offseason

The New York Mets have plenty of work to do. 

New York underperformed in 2023 and now new president of baseball operations David Stearns is leading the club into the future. His job is to turn the club around as fast as possible and get back to the postseason and ultimately win a World Series title. New York has the most money to spend and has some holes on the roster to fill.

The Mets need to address the starting rotation and also add a little more offense to the middle of the lineup. One player who could end up being a fit is former Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays, and Seattle Mariners slugger Teoscar Hernández, according to The Athletic's Tim Britton and Aaron Gleeman. 

"Hernández has a lot of flaws," Britton and Gleeman said. "He swings at everything and whiffs a ton, struggles to produce consistently versus right-handed pitching, and is a mediocre, mistake-prone corner outfielder despite good speed. But his raw power and ability to crush lefties are nearly unmatched, making him a prime target for unbalanced lineups in need of substantial right-handed thump.

"Hernández has an MLB-leading .626 slugging percentage versus lefties since 2020, hitting .312 with 32 homers in 414 at-bats. During that time, Aaron Judge and Paul Goldschmidt are the only other regulars to slug over .600 against lefties. However, he also hit .264 with a .452 slugging percentage off righties during that span, which is far from star-caliber when attached to a .317 on-base percentage and iffy glove."

Britton and Gleeman listed the Mets as one of the top landing spots for the one-time All-Star, along with the Cleveland Guardians, San Francisco Giants, and Blue Jays. Hernández has clubbed 25 or more home runs in each of the last four full seasons -- not including the shortened 2020 campaign -- and wouldn't cost as much as someone like Chicago Cubs star Cody Bellinger. 

He may have some flaws, but he's just 31 years old and could help out a Mets offense that needs a little upgrade this offseason.