How the Mets accumulated more “dead money” than the A’s entire payroll

Omar Narvaez didn’t have much of a case to stay with the Mets. The backup catcher had a .154 batting average with just two extra-base hits (both doubles) in 28 games. He was considered one of the worst defenders at his position in all of baseball, both in terms of framing metrics and taking out 2 of 35 base stealers.

The reeling Mets, who finally lost their lead on Monday – albeit narrowly in a 7-6 win at Washington – made the sensible decision to call up Narvaez on Friday.

It was also a decision that many teams would not have made. Narvaez’s spot was not justified by his performance, but by the $7 million he is making this year.

Steve Cohen’s Mets are by far the leaders in baseball when it comes to spending on players who are no longer with the club.

It’s not just Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander that the Mets are paying to play for other teams. The finances aren’t finalized yet – and who knows how much more money Cohen will be willing to take on if this trade deadline goes anything like the last one – but the Mets are looking at over $70 million in dead money. In second place, according to Spotrac: the Braves with just under $27 million.

By the way, the A’s total payroll is about $64 million.

How did the Mets get here? Good question!

Max Scherzer, RHP

Money the Mets owe in 2024: $30.83 million

Scherzer was the biggest domino of last year’s deadline, sent to the Rangers on a contract that would pay him $43.33 million this season. Cohen agreed to pick up $30.83 million of the 2024 tab to help him sign infield prospect Luisangel Acuña, who has started to take off at Triple-A Syracuse but has just a .652 OPS in 53 games.

Justin Verlander, RHP

Money the Mets owe in 2024: $25 million

The other huge domino that fell on August 1 was the trade of the now 41-year-old to the Astros in a deal in which Cohen promised to take on $25 million of his salary for 2024. If Verlander reaches 140 innings this year – after a stint on the injured list, he’s at 52 – Cohen would have to pay $17.5 million next season as well. In return: top talents Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford.

James McCann, C

Money the Mets owe in 2024: $8 million

Remember him? Another bad contract – one that looks even worse now considering the notable free agent alternative before the 2021 season was Phillies veteran JT Realmuto – was dealt to the Orioles in December 2022. McCann never sat well with the Mets, who saw the rise of Francisco Alvarez coming and made a trade in which Cohen took $19 million of the $24 million McCann was due.

Joey Wendle, IF

Money the Mets owe in 2024: $2 million (approximately)

The Mets signed the versatile backup infielder in the offseason, but the veteran underperformed in his few opportunities and no longer made sense for a club that needed more offensive power. Wendle was signed by the Braves and quickly DFA’d because he was on waivers. Whatever he makes at other clubs will be deducted from the $2 million the Mets agreed to pay Wendle.

Omar Narvaez, C

Money the Mets (possibly) owe in 2024: $7 million

The financials aren’t decided here yet. Narvaez has been DFA’d, giving the Mets a week to trade him, release him, or outright deal him. No team will be willing to pay the rest of his salary, but some of it can be taken off the Mets’ books if he settles elsewhere. Cohen will have his fingers crossed for Narvaez to settle elsewhere.

Jorge Lopez, RHP

Money the Mets (possibly) owe in 2024: $2 million

López is in the same position as Narvaez. He was DFA’d on Thursday after a complicated and chaotic Wednesday in which he 1) got ejected; 2) threw his glove into the stands; 3) showed no remorse for the act after manager Carlos Mendoza called it “unacceptable”; 4) lied about meeting with Mendoza and President of Baseball Operations David Stearns; 5) either bad-mouthed the team or himself, depending on how you interpret his speech. Regardless, López has been a solid reliever, which could help the Mets find a taker for his salary.

Bobby Bonilla, out of baseball since 2001

Money the Mets owe in 2024: $1.19 million

Bret Saberhagen, no longer in baseball since 2001

Money the Mets owe in 2024: $250,000

The Cohen regime cannot be blamed for these two. Bonilla is entitled to annual payments until 2035, Saberhagen until 2028.

Today’s back

Can McNeil be right?

The most interesting aspect of a game the Mets finally managed to escape from (albeit with another tricky ninth inning) was a player who got no playing time at all.

For the second consecutive night, Jeff McNeil watched an opposing left-handed starting pitcher from the dugout. Recently called up Jose Iglesias got the start and showed off again, going 3-for-5 and taking the lead in the fifth inning with an RBI single.

Mendoza didn’t want to call the Mets’ situation at second base a platoon, but it has been a platoon since the Mets signed Iglesias, a right-hander who can complement McNeil. Before that, they had no choice but to put McNeil on the field every single game.

There are many problems with the Mets, but McNeil is arguably the biggest. He struggled for most of last season and the first two months of this season. His advanced batting stats are not encouraging, and neither are the run stats that show he has slowed down. A player like Francisco Lindor can point to hard numbers and believe his luck will turn around; McNeil has no such argument.

What he does have is a 2022 batting title and a hitting record…

For the first time all season, the Mets have a real alternative at second base – and will face another left-hander in Patrick Corbin on Wednesday.

Back to the Bronx

Yankees fans, want something else to get excited about?

Not only have they sprinted away with the best record in the American League, they’re dominating before their schedule loosens up.

The Yankees, with a record of 42-19, have played the fewest home games in the American League: 26 games in the Bronx and 35 away.

That point will be evened up on Tuesday when they begin a six-game home series against the Twins and Dodgers.

Everything went pretty much according to plan for the team, which suffered from a difficult early schedule and had to go several months without its star player. Gerrit Cole begins rehab on Tuesday for the most interesting Double-A Somerset game of the season.

Without Cole, the Aaron Judge-Juan Soto show will continue at home, where the Yankees have barely played this season, a fact that didn’t seem to matter.

What we read 👀

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