Mets get their regular utility man in Jed Lowrie

All offseason long new Mets General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen stressed the need of a reliable, necessary asset to the team. He implored Mets fans to have patience. After a lengthy game of chess, Brodie has made his move. The Mets have signed infielder Jed Lowrie to a two-year, $20 million deal.

With Lowrie, the Mets have a versatile player who’s bat can spark any aspect of the game. Last season the 34-year-old hit .267/.353/.488 with an .801 OPS. He hit a career-high 23 home runs with 99 RBIs and 78 walks in 157 games. Overall, Lowrie is a .262 career hitter with 104 home runs and 259 doubles.

“Jed is veteran, versatile player that makes us better on the field, in the batter’s box and in the clubhouse,” Brodie stated. “As an accomplished switch-hitter, Jed also provides balance and length to our lineup.”

As far as on the field play, Lowrie had a .993 fielding percentage last season, leading all second basemen. During his time in the majors Lowrie has logged more than 4,000 defensive innings at shortstop, 3,000 at second and 1,000 at first.

What exactly does Lowrie bring to the table? As mentioned above, he plays multiple positions. Lowrie will be playing almost every game according to Brodie, so several players could be on their toes. If Peter Alonso is not ready to man first, Lowrie could take some reps there. It also deepens the concern of where Jeff McNeil will play. It is expected he will get some time in the outfield. Todd Frazier may also turn into a bench player as his contract expires soon.

Lowrie and Brodie have history with one another (the latter being the formers agent) so this alliance does seem to make sense. Is Brodie playing it safe, or is Lowrie truly a valuable asset to the organization?

In a lot of ways, Jed Lowrie is someone that the Mets have needed for a long time, considering the amount of injuries they have had over the years. An All-Star to boot, the Lowrie signing may very well be the move of Brodie’s short tenure with the Mets.