Jonathan Lucroy, Milwaukee Brewers
As mentioned earlier, d’Arnaud has had his struggles staying healthy. That’s where adding a veteran catcher comes into play. A name that has been put on the block and could be a perfect fit for the Mets is Jonathan Lucroy.
Lucroy has been among the best catchers in the National League for years and is currently having another All-Star caliber season. The right-hander boasts a slash line of .303/.362/.512 with nine home runs, 11 doubles and 29 RBI.
However, this move would push d’Arnaud into the backup role – something the Mets are not ready to do yet. A way to help give d’Arnaud more appearances at the plate could be moving Lucroy to first base every few games while Lucas Duda is on the disabled list. The two-headed monster behind the plate for the Mets might be a force to be reckoned with.
The only downside would be that Lucroy would only be a rental for this year, unless re-signed. He has a lot of value and the Brewers could get a few great prospects in return for the veteran.
Ken Davidoff of the New York Post says there are multiple factors keeping the Mets from pulling the trigger on a deal with the Brewers involving Lucroy. At this point, the Mets need to make a move to help their struggling hitting, and fast. Adding Lucroy could be a key difference between an early playoff exit and a World Series ring.
A.J. Pierzynski – Atlanta Braves
Nothing says veteran like A.J. Pierzynski. The 39-year-old catcher is in the middle of his 19th season in the majors and could be a cheap option for the Mets come trade deadline.
Pierzynski has played in 37 games in 2016, batting .202 with 11 RBI. While he is not the career-.281 hitter he once was, adding Pierzynski as the backup catcher could do wonders for the Mets.
For one, d’Arnaud would learn under one of the best catchers of the 2000s. He would work alongside Pierzynski and be the everyday starting catcher, like the Mets want.
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Not only that, but Pierzynski is much better than both Plawecki and Rivera. That gives the Mets a better hitter at the plate when d’Arnaud is given a day off or gets injured again.
A cheap, low-risk, medium-reward deal could be in the works for the Mets if they choose to pounce on Pierzynski, who is a free agent at the end of the season.