How Mets piled up more ‘dead money’ than entire A’s payroll

June 4, 2024

Omar Narvaez did not have much of an argument to remain with the Mets. The backup catcher was hitting .154 with just two extra-base hits (both doubles) in 28 games. He rated as one of the worst defenders at his position in all of baseball, both in framing metrics and in throwing out 2-of-35 base-stealers.

The reeling Mets, who finally did not blow a lead Monday — but just barely in a 7-6 win in Washington, made the sensible decision Friday to designate Narvaez for assignment.

It also was a decision that plenty of teams would not have made. Narvaez’s spot could not be justified based on performance, but could be justified based on the $7 million he is making this year.

Steve Cohen’s Mets lead baseball, and not by a little, in money spent on players no longer with the club.

It is not just Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander whom the Mets are paying to play for other teams. The financials are not yet finalized — and who knows how much more money Cohen will pledge to eat, if this trade deadline is anything like the last one — but the Mets are on the hook for upwards of $70 million purely in dead money. Second place, according to Spotrac: the Braves at just under $27 million.

The total A’s payroll, by the way? About $64 million.

How did the Mets get here? Glad you asked!

Max Scherzer, RHP

Money the Mets owe in 2024: $30.83 million

The largest domino of last year’s deadline, Scherzer was sent to the Rangers with 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 land infield prospect Luisangel Acuña, who has begun to turn it on with Triple-A Syracuse, but owns just a .652 OPS through 53 games.

Justin Verlander, RHP

Money the Mets owe in 2024: $25 million

The other enormous domino that fell Aug. 1, the now 41-year-old was shipped to the Astros in a deal in which Cohen pledged to pick up $25 million of his 2024 salary. If Verlander reaches 140 innings this year — after a stint on the IL, he’s up to 52 — Cohen would be on the hook for $17.5 million next season, too. The return: top prospects Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford.

James McCann, C

Money the Mets owe in 2024: $8 million

Remember him? Another bad contract — one that now looks even worse, considering the notable free-agent alternative before the 2021 season was Phillies stalwart J.T. Realmuto — was offloaded to the Orioles in December 2022. McCann never hit with the Mets, who saw the rise of Francisco Alvarez coming and made a trade that included Cohen absorbing $19 million of the $24 million that was due McCann.

Joey Wendle, IF

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

The Mets signed the multi-position backup infielder this offseason, but the veteran performed poorly in his few opportunities and no longer made sense for a club that needed more offensive punch. Exposed to waivers, Wendle was picked up and quickly DFA’d by the Braves. However much he makes with other clubs will be subtracted from the $2 million the Mets have committed to Wendle.

Omar Narvaez, C

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

The financials are still undecided here. Narvaez has been DFA’d, which allows the Mets a week to trade, release or outright him. No team will be willing to pay the balance of his salary, but a portion can be subtracted from the Mets’ books if he latches on elsewhere. Cohen will root for Narvaez latching on elsewhere.

Jorge López, RHP

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

López is in the same position as Narvaez. He was DFA’d Thursday after a complicated and chaotic Wednesday, when he 1) got tossed; 2) tossed his glove into the stands; 3) showed no remorse for the act after manager Carlos Mendoza called it “unacceptable”; 4) lied about having met with Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns; 5) either trashed the team or trashed himself, depending upon your interpretation of his speech. Regardless, López was 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, out of baseball since 2001

Money the Mets owe in 2024: $250,000

Can’t blame the Cohen regime for these two. Bonilla is owed annual payments through 2035, Saberhagen through 2028.

Today’s back page

Can McNeil get right?

The most interesting aspect of a game that the Mets finally managed to escape (albeit with another dicey ninth inning) was a player who did not see any playing time.

For a second straight game when facing an opposing lefty starting pitcher, Jeff McNeil watched from the dugout. Recent call-up Jose Iglesias again got the start and again showed something, going 3-for-5 with a go-ahead RBI single in the fifth.

Mendoza declined to call the Mets’ second-base situation a platoon, but it has been a platoon since the Mets added a righty hitter in Iglesias who can complement McNeil. Previously, they had no other option except running out McNeil every single game.

There are plenty of problems around the Mets, but McNeil is arguably the largest. He struggled for much of last season and for the first two months of this season. His advanced hitting metrics are not encouraging, and neither are running stats that show he has slowed. A player such as Francisco Lindor can point to hard-hit numbers and believe his luck will turn; McNeil has no such argument.

What he does have is a 2022 batting title and a history of hitting before the past 14 months. But 14 months is a long time.

For the first time all season, the Mets have a legitimate alternative at second base — and will face another lefty in Patrick Corbin on Wednesday.

Back to The Bronx

Yankees fans, want one more thing to be excited about?

It is not just that they have sprinted off with the American League’s best record; it is that they are dominating before their schedule eases up.

The 42-19 Yankees have played the fewest number of home games in the American League with 26 games in The Bronx and 35 away from home.

That will begin to even out Tuesday, when they open a six-game homestand against the Twins and Dodgers.

Virtually everything has gone according to plan for a team that has had the disadvantages of a difficult early schedule and several months without its ace. Gerrit Cole begins a rehab assignment Tuesday for the most interesting Double-A Somerset game of the season.

Without Cole, the Aaron Judge-Juan Soto show resumes back at home, where the Yankees have barely played this season, a fact that hasn’t seemed to matter.