Even before Mets catcher James McCann went down with an oblique strain earlier this month, we we’re hyper-focused on New York’s need for additional help behind the plate (and at DH), because, well … Willson Contreras. But yesterday, the Mets grabbed DH Dan Vogelbach from the Pirates. And today, those two teams completed another trade, this time for a catcher.
Buuuuuuut this isn’t an alternative for Contreras. It’s arguably not even a fallback option in case they don’t get a deal done.
Here’s the necessary context: Last night, one of the Mets other catchers, Thomas Nido, left the game with a left-hand contusion after getting crossed up with Max Scherzer. X-Rays were negative, but he might miss some games. So now, the Mets backstop situation is even murkier than it already was. Perez buys them some time, but this isn’t a solution for anything.
In fact, Perez was DFA’d by the Pirates yesterday, so the Mets we’re able to send a little cash their way to get him in town. In other words, this is the ultimate “we literally have to do something” deal.