New York Mets
Yoennis Cespedes will be on the DL for a bulk of the season and Jay Bruce has been shipped of to Seattle, so it’s in the Mets best interest to start exploring some outfield options. After a disappointing season offensively the team needs to add some bats to support their great pitching, and Brantley is someone who can definitely help them out on that front.
Right now the Mets depth chart has Juan Lagares starting in center, Brandon Nimmo in right and Michael Conforto in left. With Nimmo’s speed there would be no issue sliding him into center leaving the corner spots open for Conforto and Brantley. This might be a slight downgrade defensively, but it can easily be made up on offense and with time Nimmo can likely grow to be pretty strong in center.
Brantley’s .832 OPS last year would have been good for second best on the Mets behind Nimmo. If Conforto is able to roll his September success into 2019 the outfield trio of Conforto, Nimmo and Brantley would be one of the most formidable outfields in the National League.
After the Robinson Cano trade Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen has made it pretty clear that he plans on making a few more moves before the off season is over. Brantley might not be generating the same buzz as Bryce Harper, but his upside should be enough to satisfy a fan base disillusioned with their team and ownership. It would be a win now move, and proof that the front office is truly serious about building a contender.