The New York Mets need infield depth right now, so they've signed Eric Wagaman via the waiver wire.
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor will be out for a while with what’s still being called a “calf strain,” so the Mets made a corresponding move to add infield depth, claiming infielder Eric Wagaman off waivers from the Minnesota Twins. The move was reported by Drew Tweedie of MLBTrade Rumors.com.
The move followed yesterday’s outfield shuffle that sent Tommy Pham packing with the addition of Austin Slater, and because the Mets had an open roster space no corresponding move was necessary.
Wagaman was drafted by the New York Yankees back in 2017, but he didn’t make to the majors for good until last year, when the Miami Marlins gave the infielder a major league deal after the Los Angeles Angels elected to non-tender him after the 2024 season. His mediocre slash line of 250/.296/.378 led to the Marlins trading him to Minnesota, but Wagaman’s struggles in Triple-A with the Twins made him available via the waiver wire.
There’s an opportunity for Wagaman in New York if he can find his stroke and get hot. The Mets are getting virtually no offensive production from their infield, and Wagaman also becomes insurance with erstwhile first baseman Jorge Polanco currently on the IL. The 28-year old Wagaman is under team control for three more years, but at the moment he’s a journeyman who’s been hired to fill a gap on the depth chart.
The Mets infield has been an ongoing exercise in chaos and roster mismanagement to date. The Mets had a perfectly good third baseman in Brett Baty who was ready to step in and take over, but owner Steve Cohen made an impulsive move to sign Bo Bichette, who’d never played the position before.
The results have been as expected. Bichette struggle defensively initially, and while he’s been solid lately, his offense has suffered as a result. Baty, meanwhile, has been moved around the diamond in an effort to turn him in a super-utility player, but he’s struggled at times in both of his new positions at right field and first base.
The right side of the infield hasn’t been much better. New second baseman Marcus Semien has been solid defensively, but he hasn’t hit and Polanco has struggled to stay on the field. As a result the Mets are currently ten games under .500, and with Lindor’s injury they’ve been reduced to signing players like Wagaman to fill in.