The New York Mets took two noteworthy fliers on position players who had been non-tendered last offseason, and both came back to haunt them.
Infielder Nick Madrigal got injured in spring training and never played in a game. But Madrigal was technically more productive than outfielder Jose Siri, who played just 16 games thanks to a fractured tibia, and racked up negative-0.5 bWAR. And just before the regular season ended, the Mets, who were desperately trying to make the playoffs at the time, designated Siri for assignment.
It was no surprise to see New York take its search for outfielders in a different direction this winter, and realistically, no one would have expected Siri to return. And on Sunday, the five-year veteran reportedly found a new team to try for some redemtpion.
According to a report from Will Sammon of The Athletic, Siri and the Los Angeles Angels agreed to a minor-league contract with a non-roster invite to spring training. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that Siri’s deal will pay him $1.6 million if he makes the major league roster.
Siri, 30, has 372 games of major league experience under his belt, and when healthy, he’s been fairly productive. He popped 25 home runs in only 101 games for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023, then set a career-high with 1.8 bWAR in 130 games the following season.
The offense has always been mercurial with Siri, who takes an all-or-nothing approach at the plate. But he’s a spark plug on the bases, including 45 career steals, and can track the ball in center field with the best in the game when he’s moving at his normal clip.
For an Angels team looking to shore up its defense all over the diamond, Siri is a nice get. If he sticks on the major league roster, he could alleviate the burden of playing center field on breakout star Jo Adell, who hit 38 home runs last year but profiles long-term as a corner outfielder.
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