For the first time in his career, Adrian Gonzalez is currently a free agent as he was released by the Atlanta Braves after being traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The trade required Gonzalez to waive his no-trade clause, which he did with the understanding that he would be released and would have the ability to choose which team he would sign with.
While his former team, the San Diego Padres, is currently in need of a first baseman, a reunion with Gonzalez is believed to be unlikely. Additionally, the Padres have also been linked to Eric Hosmer.
Another team that may be in search of a first baseman is the New York Mets, and they appear to at least have some interest in Gonzalez as they contacted the veteran, according to ESPN:
The New York Mets have reached out regarding free-agent first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, sources told ESPN’s Buster Olney.
Gonzalez had the worst season of his 14-year Major League career in 2017, as he dealt with a herniated disc in his back all year. He was limited to just 71 games, batting .242/.287/.355 with three home runs and 30 RBIs, which were all career lows.
After trading Lucas Duda to the Tampa Bay Rays this past season, the Mets gave an opportunity to one of their top prospects, Dominic Smith, to play every day to finish out the season.
The 22-year-old didn’t exactly make the most of it, hitting .198/.262/.395 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs in 49 games. He still has a lot of promise moving forward though, so the adding of a five-time All-Star in Gonzalez could provide good mentorship for their young first baseman.
With the Braves paying Gonzalez’s $22 million salary in 2018, he has the ability to sign for the league minimum, which makes it a low-risk move for whatever team decides to take a chance on the 35-year-old.
